When Olena Shes Metallic, a daughter of Equi-Stat Elite $21 Million Sire Metallic Cat, and Walt Erwin entered the arena from the second draw, the crowd erupted in cat-calls. The cheers grew louder as the duo put the moves on their cattle, earning the Cotton Stakes 3-Year-Old Intermediate Open title in a nine-horse field.“It was good! We cut three really good ones,” said Erwin, who had earnings of more than $548,000 going into the Cotton Stakes. “We got a really good grey cow that settled good that Clay Johnson and Gabe Reynolds both liked, and then we cut a black one that was standing on the top. The last one was just a shape cut on the outside to finish the run; it was good, too.”Although Olena Shes Metallic made her futurity debut look easy, it hasn’t always been a clear path ahead for the mare (out of CD Hot Tamolly x CD Olena). As a 2-year-old, she underwent eye surgery, which took her out of training for a three-month period. “That’s why her barn name is ‘One-Eyed Mary,’” Walt said with a chuckle.With her vision fully restored, One-Eyed Mary is making up for lost time. She brought home a check for $6,000 to owner Mark Senn, of Augusta, Georgia, after she and Erwin marked a 221 to top the finals.According to Erwin, the way the mare stops is what sets her apart in the show pen, but she is still learning the ropes. While she’s a good hauler so far, she doesn’t enjoy the actual loading process. “Once you get her in the trailer, she’s fine,” he said. One-Eyed Mary will get a break after her success at the Cotton Stakes. “Her next trip will probably be to the Southern [Cutting Futurity],” Erwin said, noting that he is headed to the All American Quarter Horse Congress without One-Eyed Mary in the trailer this time around.

Over the weekend with all the help from Team Metallic Cat
we have hit the 22 Million mark in Sire earnings, we are
beyond excited at this latest achievement. We here at
Rocking P Ranch applaud you, these goals would not be
possible without each and every one of you. MC has
earned money in a multitude of shows pens and disciplines
including, Cutting, Cow Horses, Ranch Horse, Barrel Horse,
Halter and Reining.
We thank you for believing in MC the
same way that we do.

The offspring from this elite stallion have earned more
than $1.4 million inside the reined cow horse arena.
Metallic Cat (High Brow Cat x Chers Shadow x Peptoboonsmal)
has become one of Western performance horse industry’s
leading sires, producing more the $20 million dollars in
earners across 14 different disciplines. Metallic Cat is
owned by the Rocking P Ranch of Weatherford, Texas.
Please join us in welcoming this great sire to our
Million Dollar ranks.

* For the 2019 breeding season, Metallic Cat’s stud fee is $10,000. However, as a thank you to those who bred their mares to Metallic Cat in 2018, a repeat booking in 2019 will be discounted $5,000. All paid contracts will guarantee eligibility for the 2019 incentives.

* All Rocking P Ranch LLC horses sold at Western Bloodstock sales, starting with the Mid-Year Cutting Sale at the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Summer Spectacular, go complete with a breeding to Metallic Cat. This breeding also guarantees eligibility for the 2019 incentives.

“It’s our way of thanking the industry and building excitement for the future,” Rocking P Ranch owner Bobby Patton said in a statement. “Without all the support from so many people who believed in Metallic Cat, this would not have been possible. Now, it’s our turn to make sure there are major-league incentives for the Metallic Cat foals on the ground and the ones yet to arrive.”

Metallic Cat • Photo by John Brasseaux

As a cutting horse, Metallic Cat won the 2008 NCHA Futurity Open Championship and went on to bank $637,711 during his career. He was named 2009 NCHA Open Horse of the Year and was inducted into the NCHA Hall of Fame in 2010. In 2016 and 2017, Metallic Cat was NCHA Sire of the Year, thanks to foals that earned $10 million in just those two seasons. Also, for the National Reined Cow Horse Association he was Sire of the Year in 2016 and 2017.

His top five earners in Equi-Stat are: 2018 NCHA Open Horse of the Year Metallic Rebel ($437,965, out of Sweet Abra, by Abrakadabracre), two-time American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Junior Cutting World Champion and limited-age event champion Meteles Cat ($437,016, out of Teles Lies, by Lenas Telesis), NCHA Futurity Open Champion Stevie Rey Von ($397,158, out of Miss Ella Rey, by Dual Rey), NCHA Non-Pro Horse of the Year Purple Reyn ($361,880, out of Miss Ella Rey, by Dual Rey) and NCHA Super Stakes Open Champion Hashtags ($327,883, out of Dual Rey Tag, by Dual Rey).

And, officials at the Fort Worth ranch expect there will be 220 Metallic Cat foals showing across multiple divisions at the 2018 NCHA Summer Spectacular. Currently, with five foal crops old enough to show, his offspring roster includes 62 horses with $90,000 in lifetime earnings, 48 horses with more than $100,000 in on their records, and six offspring that have posted $200,000 and better.

“It’s amazing, what Metallic Cat has accomplished,” Patton said. “We’re grateful to the mare owners who believe in the stallion, and we appreciate all the trainers and riders who continue to invest time and effort into his offspring. On our side, we’re committed to the future of Metallic Cat and the continuation of his legacy.”

Metallic Cat dominated in the show pen last week, claiming Top Sire in two disciplines.

Some days are diamonds – that summed the long weekend in Tamworth for Lynda MacCallum and her colt Metallic Storm with outstanding success at the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Australia’s SDP Buffalo Ranch Futurity. Like so many people on the land today Lynda and her husband Jim MacCallum wake every morning in the hope that rain clouds will appear over their farm near Gundy in the parched Upper Hunter.

Jim, a Scone based auctioneer with MacCallum Inglis, has witnessed first hand the devastation, the now two year drought, has had on the region especially for cattle producers.

So it was something very special to travel over the range to Tamworth (now almost as dry as Scone) and compete against the best in the country and come home with a swag of ribbons and plenty of championship awards and prize money.

Each day the couple train their horses using Limousin infused cattle on their farm to perfect the art of ‘cutting’ or taking stock away from the group in the ring and keeping them separted for 2.5 minutes.

Points are awarded for herd work, control and the ability of the horse to work and understand the stock.

And Lynda riding her three year old Metallic Storm were unstoppable winning champion Amateur Futurity, third non-professional Futurity and most importantly coming second in the big end daddy at the event the Open Futurity. It was Lynda’s best performance to date in her eight year cutting career and its now means she is no longer an ‘amateur’ competitor.

No doubt riding Storm, who had an incredible seven runs for the week, took her mind off the drought and its associated heartache – even for just 2.5 minutes. “He simply got better through the competition he was outstanding, solid and improving with each run which shows his ability, strength and fitness,” she said.

She described him as being her best horse to date due to his athleticism and the fact he is smart.In these competitions the riders do not hold the reins – so the horses have to have the ability and be extremely well trained to cut out the stock.

“They have to understand cattle and Storm certainly does that,” she said.

He will now compete throughout Australia in his age events and eventually the MacCallums hope to stand him at stud.

They purchased the horse at the 2017 Landmark Classic from Tom Williamson, Glen Innes. He is sired by Metallic Cat from Oakes Chime, herself a great campdrafter and Storm comes with Stock Horse bloodlines on his bottom side.

In between those events Lynda will once again represent Australia as a member of the cutting horse team when it competes in the USA in September at the non-pro challenge.

She said it was fantastic to be selected again as a member of the team and take on the USA on their home ground.

The couple’s children 12-year-old Peter and ten year-old Olivia also enjoy the sport and no doubt were very proud of their mother’s achievement and that of Storm’s in Tamworth.

“I’ve only shown her in three events, but she feels like I’ve been showing her for years,“ Bushaw said. “Bittersweet just has a very special feel about her – I have a lot of confidence in her. If I do my job, I know she’s going to be right there, which is such a great feeling.”

Bittersweet did her job, as well, leading out from the first hole of the second set in the finals.

“Kenny Platt drew first yesterday in the Derby Open Wildcard round – and he’s one of those guys that I always like to watch, he’s just a winner – and he was telling me that he was so thankful to draw up first, because he felt that that was the best place to be. So, I had that thought in my head when I saw my draw flash up on the screen,” Bushaw explained.

“Casey Green, who has helped us for a long time, was there to settle those cows, so that was a good feeling – being first in the second set, knowing you had somebody out there who was sure going to do a good job of getting the cattle ready,” he continued. “[It] was right where Bittersweet and I wanted to be.”

Bittersweet, bred by Marilyn Jo Franz, of Stillwater, Oklahoma, is the leading offspring out of Miss Sea Rey (by Dual Rey), who has produced eight money-earners. She is a half-sister to Heza Sea Hawk ($57,193, by EBR Kitty Hawk), Lu Sea Lu ($29,731, by Smart Mate) and others. Bushaw purchased the daughter of Metallic Cat, who had $113,106 in lifetime earnings on her Equi-Stat record prior to the BI, as a yearling. He has trained the mare throughout her career.

“It’s sure been a lot of fun, and I’ve learned a lot. Bittersweet’s very smart, very honest, very pure-minded,” he said. “She’s got a real big heart. She’s a very, very good athlete, good stopper and mover, very cowy. I’ve been doing this a long time, and every horse I’ve had over the years, I’ve wished that they could have done this or that a little better, but she just feels like the complete deal. She’s one of those special ones… one that I’ve spent 30 years waiting on.”

Bushaw doesn’t have plans to show the mare again before the NCHA Summer Spectacular, where they will chase cutting’s Triple Crown title in the Non-Pro. Instead, he intends to support his sons at youth cuttings, focus on getting his 3-year-olds ready and taking care of things at the ranch.

Weatherford, Texas-based Bushaw, who boasts nearly $3.5 million in earnings, said the BI holds a special place in his heart.

“It’s the show that I really attribute to getting my boys hooked on cutting, with the BI kids cutting, which Jan Seago is so gracious and generous in putting together,” he said as he drove to Nebraska to meet his family at a youth cutting.

The Breeder’s Invitational (BI) kicked off May 12 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the Classic/Challenge Open finals, held May 15, hosted a field of 23 horses. One five-year-old superstar had to wait for 22 of them to make their runs before he could spar for the championship as the last draw of the second set. Two-and-a-half minutes later, Hashtags marked a 224.5, naming himself and Equi-Stat Elite $1 Million Rider Tatum Rice, of Weatherford, Texas, the Classic/Challenge Open Champions!Hashtags appears to enjoy the anticipation – during the 2017 National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Super Stakes Open finals, he brought home the title from the Will Rogers Colisieum as the second draw of the second set. As a 4-year-old, the son of Metallic Cat also won Derby Open championships at the West Texas Futurity, Idaho Cutting Horse Association Futurity & Aged Event and the El Rancho Futurity & Foothill Fiesta. He wrapped up the year as runner up in the race for the 2017 NCHA Open Horse of the Year.This year, Hashtags and Rice have taken the Augusta Futurity 5/6-Year-Old Classic Open Reserve Championship and the Bonanza Cutting 5/6-Year-Old Open Championship. Hashtag’s BI win earned $21,707 for owner Hashtags Ventures LP, pushing the blue roan’s lifetime earnings well over $327,000. The stallion out of Dual Rey Tag (by Dual Rey) was bred by Jim Haworth, of South West City, Missouri.

Tic-Tac-Tie in the Super Stakes Non Pro
Posted on April 22, 2018 by Julie Bryant

In a field thick with potential winners, it was no surprise that two rose to the top. “Cutting with the Stars” would have been an apt description of Sunday night’s Lucas Oil National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Super Stakes Non-Pro finals.

Among the 21 finalists were 2017 NCHA Futurity Non-Pro Champions Chad Bushaw and Bittersweet, as well as Megan Miller and Carolena Reyn, who won the first go-round, composite and Non-Pro semifinals. Both teams scored a 222 to share in a well-earned victory in Fort Worth, Texas, and take home $36,319 each.

Bushaw stepped up first when he rode Bittersweet (out of Miss Sea Rey x Dual Rey) onto the sandy stage of Will Rogers as the eighth to work. With more than $62,000 in earnings to her credit, Bittersweet essentially made her first return to the arena since last December. The dark red roan daughter of Metallic Cat was clearly ready to make her reappearance memorable.

“I felt that we got the three best cows that were in there, my help was great as always and the girl who gets her ready was great, as always, so we just got it done,” Bushaw said. “She had kicked herself when I was working her in February trying to get her ready for the spring events and had developed a little bit of cellulitis. But she’s been working great this past month and it worked out.”

Bushaw was quick to thank his business partner, Alana Chalmers, whose support allows him to take the time he needs to compete, as well as Crystal Hensley, who prepares the horse for competition.

“She is so devoted and is a special girl. We’re very lucky to have her on the team. The four guys helping me, they’re all close friends and are guys my boys can look up to, good family men.

“My boys and my wife mean the world to me and the fact that I am able to share this sport and this hobby – this passion for horses – with them means everything,” he continued. “I used to take it too serious, but now I am just thankful to be here. I take a lot more pride in seeing the boys do well than myself.”

The first go of the NCHA Super Stakes Open continued on Friday with eight sets of horses and riders. Michael Cooper and Matt Miller turned in the highest scores of the day – a 222.
Miller set the pace late in the second draw on Metallic Mister, owned by Holy Cow Performance Horses. Metallic Mister, also known as “Brother,” was an open finalist earlier this year with Miller at the Ike Derby and the Cattlemen’s Derby. The flashy red roan by Metallic Cat is out of Smart Crackin Chic, the 2006 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Champion that went through the NCHA Futurity Sales as a yearling and then to Singleton Ranches through the Snaffle Bit Sale as a 2-year-old. Metallic Mister got his nickname early on as he is a full brother to Metallic Mistress, earner of almost $150,000, and Mistresssis, earner of $165,000. Cooper, who topped day one of the first go as well on Pharrel, spurred his way to another high score on Friday when he showed Judgement Day, also owned by Rose Valley Ranch. Both horses are out of Bet On Houston, by Peptoboonsmal. They currently serve as the mare’s No. 4 and No.5 top money earners. Bet On A Cat leads that group with $386,577 in winnings. Judgement Day is sired by High Brow Cat and Pharrel is by Metallic Cat.
An NCHA Open Futurity finalist, the Judgement Day possesses earnings just shy of $50,000.

From the looks of things, it appears that Metallic Cat is working toward yet another record-breaking season. Last weekend, his foals dominated at two of the performance horse industry’s richest events, earning Open championships at both the Lucas Oil/National Cutting Horse Association Super Stakes in Fort Worth, Texas, AND the National Reined Cow Horse Association Stallion Stakes in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Over just a few days of those shows, Metallic Cat offspring posted a nice $177,164 and broke an all-time score record in the process.

At the NRCHA Stallion Stakes, Metallic Train and Clayton Edsall clinched the top spot after marking a 215 in the herd work, 214.5 in the reined round, and wrapping up with a hair-raising 227 down the fence. The 656.5 composite earned the Open and Intermediate Open Champion’s checks totaling $46,309 for owner Beverly Vaughn. Metallic Train, a mare, is out of Sparking Train by Shining Spark. That combination was also a hit in the Non-Pro division where Tammy Hays rode her gelding Metallic Sparks (out of Shine Smartly by Shining Spark) to the Championship and $8,481.

Yet another Metallic Cat foal – Metal Cat – finished first in the Limited Open class with Clark Brendon. This gelding is out of Topofthestar by Grays Starlight, and he collected $7,779 for the win. That was just one more success that played a part in making Metallic Cat the NRCHA Stallion Stakes’ No. 1 sire with total earnings of $90,139.

On April 1 – Easter Sunday – it was Stevie Rey Von who stole the headlines. This 6-year-old stallion and Beau Galyean worked second-from-last in the NCHA Super Stakes Classic Open finals, marking a tremendous 231 to win the division and $26,216. This is the highest score ever marked in the NCHA Super Stakes Classic. Stevie Rey Von, owned by the Fults Ranch, is out of Miss Ella Rey by Dual Rey. This latest win brings the stallion’s lifetime earnings to $397,342, which includes having won the prestigious NCHA Futurity Open Championship in 2015.

Kattalyst, a 6-year-old mare also by Metallic Cat, worked to an impressive 226 score to finish Reserve in the Classic Open with Adan Banuelos. That placing paid $23,576. Kattalyst, owned by 10/27 Ranch, is out of Hotness by Spots Hot.

“This Super Stakes was just amazing!” said Bobby Patton, owner of Rocking P Ranch in Fort Worth, Texas. (Rocking P Ranch owns both Metallic Cat and Spots Hot.) “To say it was a big day for our breeding program is an understatement. We couldn’t be more gratified.”

Six Metallic Cat offspring graced the elite field of 29 Classic Open finalists, adding up to a total take of $87,025. One of those finalists, Hashtags, won the Open Stakes at the 2017 Lucas Oil/NCHA Super Stakes – an event where Metallic Cat shattered records when 69 of his foals won more than $831,500 across multiple divisions, which still stands as the highest single-show payout in NCHA Super Stakes history.

As for this year, there are nearly three more weeks of Super Stakes action. The show concludes on April 22 with the Open Stakes finals. Dozens of Metallic Cat offspring are performing, so it’s possible for yet another record-breaker. Metallic Cat’s owner, Bobby Patton of Rocking P Ranch, Fort Worth, Texas, is keeping his fingers crossed.

“Last weekend was a huge one,” Patton said happily. “We were extremely pleased that Metallic Cat’s foals had such a magnificent showing. Plus, we were thrilled by his success at two very different shows – one cutting and the other reined cow horse. Once again, it demonstrates the remarkable consistency of Metallic Cat across multiple disciplines, also proving his mind and ability carries over with a variety of mares of diverse bloodlines. We’re excited about what’s happening right now and in the future.”

One of those future opportunities is right around the corner at the NCHA’s next Triple Crown event in July. The 2018 Metallic Cat $100,000 Incentive, a bonus available to everyone who owns a Metallic Cat 4-year-old and has a 2018 contract to breed to Metallic Cat. For those who qualify, the program guarantees a $100,000 check to the highest advancing Metallic Cat offspring in the 4-year-old Open finals at the Metallic Cat/NCHA Summer Spectacular.

“We’re hoping someone wins it!” Patton said. “The 2018 show season has been amazing so far, and we’d really love for the owners of Metallic Cat’s foals to share in the stallion’s success. It’s our way of saying ‘Thank you’ to the mare owners who believe in Metallic Cat.”

Metallic Cat is on his way to becoming one of the biggest sires in cutting history. Right now he has $18 million in offspring earnings. In 2016 and 2017 he was NCHA Sire of the Year, thanks to foals that earned $10 million in just those two seasons. With $637,711 in lifetime winnings, Metallic Cat won the 2008 NCHA Futurity with Beau Galyean and then showed for a few months in the 2009 season. Even with limited showing, Metallic Cat was 2009 NCHA Horse of the Year and was inducted into the NCHA Hall of Fame in 2010. Now, with just five crops of show age, Metallic Cat is among the top 10 of the cutting industry’s all-time most successful sires.

Elizabeth Quirk, Denham, La., scored 221 points riding Kattalyst on Wednesday to win the second go-round of the NCHA Super Stakes Classic Non-Pro, and claim the top cumulative score with 437 points.

Madalyn Colgrove, Boligee, Ala., who won the first go-round with 221 points, posted a cumulative score of 436.5 points riding Sweet Baby Marie, and Steve Anderson, Victoria, Tex., ranked third with 435.5 points on Littlemak.

Quirk, the NCHA Non-Pro Hall of Fame earner of $689,528, most recently won the 2018 NCHA World Series Mane Event with Cat Sheree LTE $179,988. She also placed as reserve champion of the Ike Hamilton Futurity 4-Year-Old Non-Pro on Catillac Reys LTE $60,718.

Six-year-old Kattalyst LTE $117,710, a Metallic Cat daughter bred by Alvin and Becky Fults, claimed the reserve championship of the NCHA Super Stakes Classic Open on Sunday, April 1, under Adan Banuelos.

Stevie Rey Von and Beau Galyean rewrote the NCHA Record Book with a 231-point win in the NCHA Super Stakes Classic Open Finals. The score was the highest ever marked in the Super Stakes Classic and tied for the Triple Crown all-time record, set in the 2001 Super Stakes by Sunettes Dually and Matt Gaines. Galyean held the old Super Stakes Classic record with 229 points aboard Metallic Rebel in 2017.

Six-year-old Stevie Rey Von, NCHA Horse of the Year and winner of the 2015 NCHA Futurity, also scored 231 points last month to win the Cattlemen’s 5/6 Classic Open under Galyean for new owners Alvin and Becky Fults, Amarillo, Tex. The Fults’s, who purchased Stevie Rey Von in February, had owned his sire Metallic Cat, the 2008 NCHA Futurity champion and NCHA Horse of the Year shown by Galyean, as well.

Stevie Rey Von brought career earnings of more than $370,000 into the Super Stakes Classic finals.

Until Stevie Rey Von eclipsed the field, as draw 28 from 29, Kattalyst, bred by Alvin and Becky Fults, was the horse to beat and became the eventual reserve champion. Shown by Adan Banuelos, the 6-year-old Metallic Cat daughter scored 226 points late in the first set of cattle. Her closest challenger was Somethingtobelievein with 223.5 points, under owner Brett McGlothlin, for third place.

Kattalyst LTE $94,134, owned by Ten/27 Ranch, Denham Springs, La., made her debut as a 2015 NCHA Futurity Open Semi-Finalist with Sean Flynn and has been a consistent finalist in limited age events, including non-pro competition with Ten/27 Ranch owners Todd and Elizabeth Quirk.

Clayton Edsall earned his first NRCHA premier event title — and a heck of a lot of money — in the NRCHA Stallion Stakes, which he won aboard Metallic Train.
Photo by Primo Morales.Story by Molly Montag

What happens when you win $85,000 in Las Vegas?

Ask Clayton Edsall.

The Oakdale, California, trainer scored a massive haul with a memorable win Saturday night aboard Metallic Train in the National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) Stallion Stakes. He and the mare marked huge 227-point fence score to win the Open and Intermediate Open titles.

That wasn’t all. Edsall also won the Open Novice Horse and the Intermediate Open Reserve championships, riding four horses in the Open finals. Overall, his horses earned more than $85,000 in the NRCHA Stakes finals and preliminary rounds.

Even after accepting his awards, Edsall was still trying to process the night’s events.

“It means a lot. I just don’t think it’s sank in,” said the trainer, surrounded by family and friends in the main arena at the South Point Hotel, Casino and Spa. “I mean, all the horses were really great and so I think it’s going to take a little bit to just process.”

Bet Hesa Boon, the Intermediate Open Reserve Champion, also placed seventh in the Open. Metallic Train’s half brother, Bet He Sparks (by Bet Hesa Cat) carried Edsall to an eighth-place finish in the Open. His fourth Open final qualifier was Shining CD Light (by CD Lights), who scratched after the herd work.

Metallic Train won $46,309 in the finals. Bet Hesa Boon earned $17,321 in the finals and roughly $3,700 from the Open Novice Horse title in the preliminary rounds.

“You know, when we got four in the finals, I told [his fiancé] Chelsea, I said ‘You know, there’s a chance something like this could happen’, but you know…How do you know,” said Edsall, who has lifetime earnings of roughly $500,000. “So, it’s just all pretty special, for sure.”

Riding Metallic Train out of the arena after his run, Edsall knew his score had to be at least 227 to catch Phillips. Although Phillips and Sarah Dawson each had a 656.5 composite, Phillips had the higher cow work score, which is used to break ties, so the lead was his alone.

“Kelby was a [2]23, Corey was a [2]24.5 and then I felt like, [with] my two turns and…circles, I wonder what they’re gonna mark me,” he said. “And then as soon as I rode out the gate, and then they announced my score and I told the back gate guys — ‘Oh My God, I just won the Stakes, didn’t I?’ — and, they’re like, ‘Yep’.”

The run put him at a 656.6 composite (215 herd/214.5 cow/227 cow), but his high-scoring fence run broke the tie to give Edsall his first NRCHA premier event championship.

Up in the stands, Chelsea was crying and fielding congratulations. She and Edsall, who have two children – Weston, 2, and Rylee, 15 months – plan to wed in April.

“Just to see him finally get some recognition in an aged event on such a great horse, it means everything,” said Chelsea, who thanked the cow horse community for its support. “It’s so amazing, because he works so hard and he loves his horses and it’s just nice to see. I’m so proud of him.”

The Open Co-Reserve Championship went to Phillips and Duals Lucky Charm (out of TRR Ms Pepcid Olena, by Pepcid) and Dawson and Travelin Miss Jonez (by Travelin Jones x Playin With Rubies x Lectric Playboy). They each won $23,803.

Tammy Hays made the most of her chance to ride Metallic Sparks in the NRCHA Stakes Non-Pro on Saturday, March 31, in Las Vegas. • Photo by Primo Morales.

Tammy Hays is thrilled Metallic Sparks is so short.

If he was much bigger, she probably wouldn’t have gotten the chance to win the National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) Stallion Stakes Non-Pro Championship with him.

“Oh, my gosh! I’m so excited, because that’s the first one out of that mare I’ve ever gotten to show,” said Hays, who co-owns his dam, Shine Smartly, with her father, Walter Greeman. “She’s 19 years old and I’ve never gotten to show one, because they’re all good enough to show as open horses, or we sell them or and [her husband] Shawn shows them -and he’s too little!”

Going into the cow work, Hays’ best shot at victory appeared to be Hat Six Keep Sparkin, a son of Dual Spark out of Hat Six Little Paws (by Peptos Stylish Oak) she rode to the 2017 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Non-Pro Championship. She and the buckskin were leading the competition going into the cow work, but a 199-point score erased any hope of finishing with the leaders.

“[Hat Six Keep Sparkin] just didn’t feel like himself and I kept telling myself, you made a couple little tiny mistakes, but the big problems that went wrong were because he wasn’t feeling like himself,” she said.

Although disappointed, Hays put the poor score out of her mind and focused on what she could do with Metallic Sparks. The sorrel gelding gave her confidence almost immediately. Their 217.5-point run topped the herd work.

“I knew as soon as that cow came out [and] he was bright and quick,” Hays said. “And, when he’s like that he’s usually going to be really good.”

Hays said the championship would’ve have been possible without the help of God and her husband, Shawn.

“I always do a lot of praying before I go and I feel like [God] gives me peace and confidence,” she said. “Of course, I thank my husband, because he gets my horses ready [and] takes good care of me.”

The Metallic Cat gelding and Clark knocked out another premier event title Saturday night with the National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) Stallion Stakes Limited Open Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Clark, of Hollister, California, said he’s learned a lot from the dependable young horse, who he previously piloted to the 2017 NRCHA Derby Limited Open Championship.

“I’m pretty happy with him. He was pretty solid all the way through, and he always is,” Clark said. “He’s not typically the horse that’s gonna blow everyone away during the rounds, in the prelims, but he’s always there at the top.”

They took the NRCHA Stakes Limited Open Championship with a composite of 632 (209 herd/212.5 rein/210.5 cow). The title paid $7,779, boosting the horse’s lifetime Equi-Stat record to more than $20,000.

Clark, who posted his first cow horse earnings to Equi-Stat in 2015, said Banjo’s consistency has helped him as he’s started his career as a trainer. The Australian native switched to horses after a bull-riding career that included time on the Professional Bull Riders tour.

“He’s always gonna give you what you need to do. And, you know, he’s always been a pretty good fence horse,” said Clark, whose Equi-Stat record has surpassed $40,000. “He circles good and you kind of put him in position and then when it’s time to drop the hammer, you just say ‘Go’ and he does it.”

Bred by Bill Coburn, of Redding, California, Metal Cat is one of 8 money earners from the mare Tipofthestar. The daughter of Grays Starlight now has a produce record of approximately $170,000.

Fults Ranch Ltd. Delivers 1-2 Punch in NCHA Super Stakes Classic

With Stevie Rey Von added to their arsenal, Fults Ranch Ltd. is proving it won’t fade quietly into the background after the sale of Metallic Cat. Their new 6-year-old stallion and a 6-year-old mare they bred – both by “Denver” – clinched the top placings in the Lucas Oil National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Super Stakes Classic Open finals, held Easter Sunday in Fort Worth, Texas.

Alvin and Becky Fults have long admitted Equi-Stat Elite $18 Million Sire Metallic Cat was an incredible find all those years ago, but it seems Stevie Rey Von may be their second golden Easter egg. In less than two months, the stallion (out of Miss Ella Rey x Dual Rey) and his new trainer, Equi-Stat Elite $3 Million Rider Beau Galyean, went from placing fifth in the Classic/Challenge Open at the Arbuckle Mountain Futurity to marking a winning 228 at The Cattlemen’s, followed by a Super Stakes record-setting 231 – reportedly the highest score ever marked in the Classic at the event.

“When we bought ‘Stevie,’ we thought Beau would take him to a couple of the smaller aged events to get with him before the Super Stakes,” Alvin said of the Brandon Dufurrena-bred stallion. “All of a sudden, the expectations got way up there, but tonight he exceeded our expectations. Wow! It’s a dream come true for us.”

The performance was truly something to behold. Stevie stayed nose-to-nose with the cow and delivered every time Galyean called on him, demonstrating his athleticism and cow smarts for all to see. The spectators rewarded the run with an applause one could compare to the roar of an NCHA Futurity finals crowd.

“He gets tough when a cow really gets to eatin’ on him,” Galyean said after his win. “I thought, we’re going to cut him a lot of beef tonight and see if he can handle it, especially when Adan [Banuelos] put the [2]26 up. That opened the door for me to for sure try to bring everything I had and see if the horse could respond.”

“We’re so blessed and beyond excited,” Becky said. “He’s so physical, smart and fast-footed; he’s the whole package. The more the crowd got into it, the more he rose to the occasion.”

Though Stevie’s achievement was plenty of reason to celebrate, the Fultses felt honored to watch Banuelos pilot Kattalyst, whom they bred in 2011, mark a 226 for the Classic Open Reserve title. The mare (out of Hottness x Spots Hot), who is owned by Todd and Elizabeth Quirk’s Ten/27 Ranch, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, unofficially took home $23,576 for her title and pushed her Equi-Stat record past the $100,000 mark by more than $17,000.

“This year has been amazing so far,” stallion owner Robert “Bobby” Patton said in a statement. “It’s been wonderful to see the Metallic Cats do well in the show pen and have the owners of those horses share in the success. We’re just very thankful.”

The 2008 NCHA Futurity Open Champion, Metallic Cat joined a stallion roster that also includes fellow Futurity Open Champion Spots Hot (Chula Dual x Sweet Shorty Lena x Shorty Lena) and Boon San, a son of High Brow Cat out of Boon San Sally (by Boon Bar) that has sired earners of nearly $650,000, according to Equi-Stat.

An earner of $637,711, Metallic Cat was 2009 NCHA Horse of the Year and was inducted into the NCHA Hall of Fame the following year. His five crops of foals to reach show age have compiled an Equi-Stat record of $17,754,553. His leading earner is 2017 NCHA Open Horse of the Year, Metallic Rebel ($437,965).

“And we look forward to that getting even better!” Patton said. “We designed this incentive as a way to celebrate that achievement while also giving back to those mare owners who continue to believe in Metallic Cat. It’s going to be an exciting spring and an even more exciting summer!”

Hashtags, cutting’s number one 4-year-old money earner in 2017, earned $20,870 and his first major win of 2018 with 223 points on Saturday, in the Bonanza 5/6 Classic. Ridden by Tatum Rice, the blue roan stallion, sired by Metallic Cat and owned by Hashtag Ventures, was also a recent finalist in the Abilene Spectacular Classic and the Augusta Futurity Classic, and has lifetime earnings of $288,609.

Eighteen is a big number for Metallic Cat, and now it’s gotten even bigger! So far this year – 2018 – Metallic Cat continues his reign as the highest-earning sire of horses competing at the cutting industry’s elite limited-age events. His total offspring earnings stand just shy of $18 million.

Now, Bobby Patton, Metallic Cat’s owner, is pleased to announce the 2018 Metallic Cat $100,000 Incentive, a bonus available to everyone who owns a Metallic Cat 4-year-old and has a 2018 contract to breed to Metallic Cat (excluding re-breeds). For those who qualify, the program guarantees a $100,000 check to the highest advancing Metallic Cat offspring in the 4-year-old Open division at the Metallic Cat/National Cutting Horse Association Summer Spectacular.

“This year has been amazing so far,” said Patton, who purchased the stallion in the summer of 2017. “It’s been wonderful to see the Metallic Cats do well in the show pen and have the owners of those horses share in the success. We’re just very thankful.”

Metallic Cat is the cutting industry’s hottest sire, one that topped the earnings roster in 2016 and 2017. Both years he was NCHA Top Sire thanks to foals that earned $10 million in just those two seasons. With $637,711 in lifetime earnings, Metallic Cat won the 2008 NCHA Futurity with Beau Galyean and then showed for only few months in the 2009 season. Even with limited showing, Metallic Cat was 2009 NCHA Horse of the Year and was inducted into the NCHA Hall of Fame in 2010. Now, with just five crops of show age, Metallic Cat is among the top 10 of the cutting industry’s all-time most successful sires.

“And we look forward to that getting even better!” Patton said happily. “We designed this incentive as a way to celebrate that achievement while also giving back to those mare owners who continue to believe in Metallic Cat. It’s going to be an exciting spring and an even more exciting summer!”

After performances by his offspring caused Metallic Cat to lead the 2017 Abilene Spectacular as the No. 1 sire, the 2005 red roan stallion hit the mark again at the 2018 edition of the show. Twenty-eight of his offspring garnered $154,934 while in Abilene this year, nearly $50,000 more than No. 2 sire High Brow Cat.

Five of Metallic Cat’s progeny earned more than $10,000 each at the event, including Catarism RG (out of Playgiarism x Freckles Playboy), Copperish (out of Stylish Play Lena x Docs Stylish Oak) and Sweat Son (out of Travalin Miss Mosa x Travalena).

Catarism RG, bred by Mariposa Farms LLP and owned by Rose Valley Ranch, marked a 220 in the 4-Year-Old Open finals with Michael Cooper, tying for the Reserve Championship. The duo banked $15,000, along with $4,040 for tying for second in the Novice class, as well.

In the 5/6-Year-Old Open, Copperish carried Lloyd Cox to the Co-Championship with her score of 221, which came with a $17,000 check. The mare, who is owned by Jimmie Miller Smith, was bred by Double Dove Ranch. Her lifetime earnings were pushed to more than $134,000 with her latest title.

Metallic Cat’s third-highest earner at the show, Sweat Son, placed third in the 5/6-Year-Old Open with a score of 220.5. Also ridden by Cox, he collected $13,000, which pushed him to earnings of $84,804. Nick VandeSteeg owns the stallion, who was bred by Randy and Jenny Free.

Metallic Cat (High Brow Cat x Chers Shadow x Peptoboonsmal), who was purchased by Bobby Patton’s Rocking P Ranch in September 2017, boasts more than $17 million in sire earnings. As of press time, he was quickly approaching Equi-Stat Elite $18 Million Sire status.

After performances by his offspring caused Metallic Cat to lead the 2017 Abilene Spectacular as the No. 1 sire, the 2005 red roan stallion hit the mark again at the 2018 edition of the show. Twenty-eight of his offspring garnered $154,934 while in Abilene this year, nearly $50,000 more than No. 2 sire High Brow Cat.

Five of Metallic Cat’s progeny earned more than $10,000 each at the event, including Catarism RG (out of Playgiarism x Freckles Playboy), Copperish (out of Stylish Play Lena x Docs Stylish Oak) and Sweat Son (out of Travalin Miss Mosa x Travalena).

Catarism RG, bred by Mariposa Farms LLP and owned by Rose Valley Ranch, marked a 220 in the 4-Year-Old Open finals with Michael Cooper, tying for the Reserve Championship. The duo banked $15,000, along with $4,040 for tying for second in the Novice class, as well.

In the 5/6-Year-Old Open, Copperish carried Lloyd Cox to the Co-Championship with her score of 221, which came with a $17,000 check. The mare, who is owned by Jimmie Miller Smith, was bred by Double Dove Ranch. Her lifetime earnings were pushed to more than $134,000 with her latest title.

Metallic Cat’s third-highest earner at the show, Sweat Son, placed third in the 5/6-Year-Old Open with a score of 220.5. Also ridden by Cox, he collected $13,000, which pushed him to earnings of $84,804. Nick VandeSteeg owns the stallion, who was bred by Randy and Jenny Free.

Metallic Cat (High Brow Cat x Chers Shadow x Peptoboonsmal), who was purchased by Bobby Patton’s Rocking P Ranch in September 2017, boasts more than $17 million in sire earnings. As of press time, he was quickly approaching Equi-Stat Elite $18 Million Sire status.

Chad Bushaw owned the night, Friday, December 8, with a 225-point championship performance on Bittersweet, by Metallic Cat, in the 2017 NCHA Non-Pro Futurity. Brandon Westfall on Smooth Lil Cowtown, by Smooth As A Cat, took reserve with 221 points, and Cody Hedlund placed third with 220 points on Iggy Reyzalea, by Dual Smart Rey.

This was the second NCHA Non-Pro Futurity championship title for Bushaw, an NCHA Non-Pro Hall of Fame earner of $3,259,465. He won the 2001 Non-Pro Futurity on Jerryoes LTE $252,780, and has been a finalist eight other times. His first NCHA Futurity success came as a finalist in the 1991 Amateur, when he was 18. Friday evening, his son, Charles Russell Bushaw, 14, was a finalist in the NCHA Futurity Unlimited Amateur Finals.

In addition to the NCHA Futurity, Bushaw has also won the NCHA Super Stakes (2008 on Cats Ruby) and the NCHA Derby (2012 on Bet On A Cat), and was reserve champion of the 2007 NCHA Super Stakes on Mocha Cappuccino.

Bittersweet, out of Miss Sea Rey, by Dual Rey, was bred by Marilyn Jo Franz and is a full sister to three other NCHA money earners out of Miss Sea Rey LTE $31,890, by Dual Rey. Bittersweet and Bushaw also won Thursday’s NCHA Futurity Non-Pro Semi-Finals with 219 points.

There was plenty of build up to the Non-Pro finals of the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Futurity. After weeks of waiting, the finalists finally got their time in the spotlight.

The competitors did not disappoint, and after just a few horses in the first set, big scores were already being laid down. The biggest of the night was marked by Chad Bushaw and Bittersweet (Metallic Cat x Miss Sea Rey x Dual Rey), who put together a smoking 225 for the Championship.

In addition to bragging rights, the pair earned a massive $61,162 paycheck. Those earnings pushed Bushaw’s Equi-Stat record to nearly $3.4 million.

Bushaw was thrilled with the result of the finals and more than anything was happy he was able to show off the talent of Bittersweet.

“I have had a really good feeling about this mare for a long time,” he said. “Most the year, and certainly in the last six months, I felt like she could be something that I have not got to show in a long time and maybe ever. I was looking forward to tonight. I knew I had a special horse, so I felt relief [coming out with the win].”

The 2017 NCHA Futurity Select Yearling Sale, on Wednesday, December 6, completed sales on 88% of its offering, an all-time record for the sale, where 42 head sold for $2,424,000 and an average of $57,714.

Nu Metallic Lace, consigned by Eddie Longley, topped the sale at $250,000. The bay roan filly, sired by Metallic Cat, was purchased by Circle Y Ranch, Millsap, Tex., home of Im Countin Checks, the sire of 2017 NCHA Open World Champion Deluxe Checks. Out of Nu I Wood LTE $427,152, an NCHA all-time leading producer, Nu Metallic Lace is a half-sister to NCHA Open World Champion Special Nu Baby $LTE $481,197 and a three-quarter sister to Special Nu Kitty LTE $301,268.

Metallic Mystified, by Metallic Cat, was the second-highest seller of the sale. Consigned by Fults Ranch, the bay colt brought $200,000 from Rocking P Ranch, owner of 2017 leading sire Metallic Cat. Out of Sweet Abra LTE $120,151, an NCHA all-time leading producer, Metallic Mystified is a full brother to Metallic Rebel LTE $404,910, 2017 NCHA Horse of the Year and 2017 World Champion Stallion.

Rocking P Ranch, Fort Worth, Texas, also purchased One Time Pepto daughter Foxing Awesum for $150,000 from Waco Bend Ranch. The red roan filly is out of Dont Look Twice LTE $843,096, NCHA’s all-time leading female money earner. Her second dam is Tapt Twice LTE $285,226, a Top 10 NCHA all-time producer of the earners of $1,459,206.

Lou Rey, by Dual Rey, also went to Rocking P Ranch for $100,000. The Oxbow Ranch-consigned filly is out of Louellas Cat LTE $305,305, a full sister to Cattalou LTE $286,647 and half-sister to Movin Downtown LTE $346,715.

Shameless, a Dual Smart Rey daughter out of Miss Pepto LTE $100,727, by Peptoboonsmal, sold for $110,000 to John Thomas, Alberta, Canada. The red roan filly was consigned by Crown Ranch, Weatherford, Tex.

The 2017 NCHA Futurity Sales continue through Sunday, December 10. For the online catalog and daily results: www.westernbloodstock.com

Metallicious, a red roan daughter of Metallic Cat shown by T.J. Good, scored 222 points on Wednesday, to claim the first of six days of NCHA Futurity Open first go-round competition. Sugarush, ridden by Greg Wright, and Catillac Reys, with Ascencion Banuelos, tied with 219.5 points, the day’s second-highest score, while Brandon Dufurrena and Cherry Chapstick marked 219 points. At the end of the day, 31 of the 86 entries had scored 215 points or higher.
Owned by Charles Burger, Chatsworth, Ga., Metallicious was purchased at the 2015 NCHA Futurity Sales for $35,000 from her breeders Alvin and Becky Fults, who have two of Metallicious’s yearling full siblings consigned to this year’s sale. Out of Sweet Shorty Lena LTE $110,484, Metallicious is half-sister to Spots Hot LTE $502,682, a leading sire of 2017 money earners.
T.J. Good, the NCHA earner of $1,103,554, was reserve champion of the 2013 NCHA Futurity riding Stunned LTE $111,797, by High Brow Cat. Most recently, he won the 2017 Arbuckle Mountain Open Derby aboard Game On Smooth LTE $59,433, by Smooth As A Cat.

Fort Worth, TX – November 6, 2017 – The National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) and Bobby Patton Jr., of the Rocking P Ranch and the new owner of one of NCHA’s leading stallions Metallic Cat, with sire earnings of $16,416,826 are pleased to announce a new three-year marketing partnership for 2017-2020. The partnership includes the title position for one of NCHA premier Triple Crown events the NCHA Summer Cutting Spectacular held at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth TX every July-August. The new event title will be:

“Metallic Cat NCHA Summer Cutting Spectacular”

Patton expressed his excitement upon purchasing one of the most impressive stallions NCHA has ever seen, he offers his perspective on the NCHA Summer Cutting Spectacular and his enthusiasm as a supporter of NCHA and all its members. “The Rocking P Ranch looks forward to joining the NCHA and bringing new excitement to the “Metallic Cat NCHA Summer Cutting Spectacular,” says Patton. “I have always been captivated with the sport of cutting and now being involved at this level brings a whole new appreciation of the sport.”
In addition to this new NCHA partnership Patton and Rocking P Ranch want to take this opportunity to announce a $100,000 Metallic Cat Incentive Program. This Incentive Program will be paid out at the NCHA Summer Cutting Spectacular in 2023. All Metallic Cat foals born in 2019 are eligible with money to be paid out to the highest advancing foal in the Derby Open. In the event of ties the money will be split evenly.
Chuck Smith, NCHA Executive Director, is equally enthusiast to have Patton on board as a marketing partner for the next three years. “NCHA has a wonderful group of marketing partners” Smith said, “Therefore we look forward to having Mr. Patton and the Rocking P Ranch join NCHA in this new partnership with both focused on growing the awareness of the sport of cutting worldwide for many years to come.

About the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA)
NCHA features two great athletes: One horse and one rider must act as one unit to form a symbolic competition team. They are equals in the competition, anticipating the other’s actions.
Based in Fort Worth, Texas, the National Cutting Horse Association has members around the world. The NCHA governs the sport sanctioning over 1,800 events annually with over $36,000,000 in prize money. NCHA’s premier events include the NCHA Triple Crown, the NCHA Mercuria World Finals, and the NCHA Youth World Finals events held in Fort Worth TX. The Mercuria World Series of Cutting is held at eight (8) locations throughout North America. Locations include South Point Casino in Las Vegas, Calgary Stampede and Ohio Quarter Horse Congress, as well as two NCHA National events in Jackson, MS and Denver, CO.

Metallic Rebel. The name speaks for itself. He is a force in the cutting pen that can seldom be beat. At the Southern Cutting Futurity, he added a couple major accomplishments to his list of accolades – National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Open Horse of the Year and a career record score.
Equi-Stat Elite $3 Million Rider Beau Galyean and “Rebel” (Metallic Cat x Sweet Abra x Abrakadabracre) have been going nonstop all season in an effort to win the NCHA Open Horse of the Year title. Rebel has been neck and neck in the race with NCHA Super Stakes Champion Hashtags (Metallic Cat x Dual Rey Tag x Dual Rey), ridden by Tatum Rice, but some recent success has helped Rebel widen the point gap.
In the past month, Galyean and 5-year-old Rebel, who was bred by Fults Ranch and is owned by Thomas Guinn, won the Classic/Challenge Open at the Brazos Bash and Pacific Coast Cutting Horse Association Futurity to add 80 points to their previous 557-point total.
Last week at the Southern Cutting Futurity, they threw in an additional 14 points after another solid finish in the Classic/Challenge Open to bring their point total to 651, while Hashtags stands at 546 points. Rebel’s final push toward the end of the point year helped him unofficially seal the deal on the NCHA Open Horse of the Year title.
“That horse is just something else,” Galyean said of Rebel, who now boasts lifetime earnings of more than $400,000. “You are always just pushing yourself to do the best you can, but this horse makes you want to push harder. He did it, and that is cool.”
Gaylean also noticed before the Southern that Rebel was just about $9,000 behind Galyean’s former mount Cattalou (High Brow Cat x Louella Again x Dual Pep), who is owned by W.S. “Billy” Morris III, in the NCHA Open World Champion Stallion race. That narrow margin motivated Galyean to ride in an NCHA Open weekend class at the event, and his performance earned the pair a massive 232.
“Every big score I have ever had has been on this horse,” said Galyean, whose personal best before the Southern was a 229. “On Metallic Cat, the highest I had was about a [2]28, and then Cattalou marked I think a [2]26 at the BI [Breeder’s Invitational].
“This horse has had a couple [2]28s, and [2]29s, and now a [2]32. It is kind of funny thinking about this horse, because I have thought about marking a score that high. But that is something you never think about on other horses. I thought if I could break the 230 barrier, it would be on him. There are not many horses that I could say that about. This horse is just so special, and he is really making his mark.”

Sweat Son and Equi-Stat Elite $8 Million Rider Lloyd Cox continued to get things done at the PCCHA Futurity in the Derby ranks with the Open Championship.
The victory for Cox, of Marietta, Oklahoma, and the 2013 stallion (Metallic Cat x Travalen Miss Mosa x Travalena) comes on the heels of their recent Cotton Stakes Derby Open Championship.
Their score of 221.5 was good for a $16,000 paycheck. Bred by Randy and Jenny Free, of Plano, Texas, Sweat Son has now won more than $50,000 for owner NW VandeSteeg, of Hailey, Idaho.

Metallic Rebel LTE $377,496, winner of the 2017 Brazos Bash Open Classic on September 25 in Weatherford, Tex., scored 225 points on Monday, October 9, to claim the championship of the PCCHA Futurity Classic Challenge, in Las Vegas, Nev. Shown by Beau Galyean for Thomas Guinn, Philadelphia, Miss., the 5-year-old red roan stallion, sired by Metallic Cat, is the leading contender for 2017 NCHA Open Horse of the Year, as well as 2017’s leading money earner.
The PCCHA Classic Challenge, with a winner’s purse of $16,000, was Metallic Rebel’s sixth 2017 limited age win and his eleventh major lifetime win.

Sweat Son, by Metallic Cat, scored 221.5 points under Lloyd Cox to win the 2017 PCCHA Futurity Open 4-year-old finals and $16,000 on Tuesday, October 10, in Las Vegas. Betchalou, shown by Morgan Cromer, and SVR Caught Ya Lookin, with Grant Setnicka, each scored 219 points to earn $12,500 and split second and third.
This was the third major win in 2017 for Sweat Son LTE $71,665, who is owned by N.W. VandeSteeg, Hailey, Idaho. The red roan stallion also won the Cotton Stakes with Cox and the Pacific Coast Winter Roundup with Tom Shelly, and placed second in the PCCHA Cutting Stakes with Cox.

Join the Metallic Cat Team for the 2018 Season
Just as he’s done all year long, Metallic Cat continued to break records at the National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity, which concluded Saturday evening in Fort Worth, Texas. With seven – yes, that’s seven offspring – in the Open finals, Metallic Cat wrapped up that single division with $106,545 in sire earnings. That makes the 12-year-old stallion, unofficially, an NRCHA Million Dollar Sire. It took Metallic Cat just four years to reach that impressive milestone!
Now at his new home, the Rocking P Ranch in Fort Worth, the superstar sire knocked the ball out of the park in the first major event of the fall futurity season. And now’s your chance to be a part of the performance horse industry’s most successful team – the Metallic Cat team.
Starting on Wednesday, Nov. 1, the books open on this stallion’s 2018 breeding season. Breedings are limited to 200 mares, and bookings are available on a first-come, first served basis. Metallic Cat’s fee is $15,000, which includes the chute fee.
“Metallic Cat has proven himself as the hottest young sire in the business, and we’re looking ahead to a bright and exciting future,” said Bobby Patton, the stallion’s owner.
Thanks to this latest infusion of reined cow horse earnings, Metallic Cat’s offspring earnings stand at $16 million. No Western performance horse has earned this much, this quickly. Plus, the World Series of the performance horse industry – the National Cutting Horse Association World Championship Futurity – is right around the corner. The elite event begins next month, and several Metallic Cats are entered in multiple divisions.
So get ahead of the game and book your mare early for Metallic Cat’s 2018 season. For more information, please visit www.metalliccat.com.

On September 20 the legendary cutting stallion Metallic Cat sold in what is surely one – if not the – biggest sale transactions in the cutting horse industry. That afternoon, the star horse unloaded at his new home at Rocking P Ranch in Fort Worth, Texas. Alvin and Becky Fults, who owned and promoted Metallic Cat since he was a 3-year-old, officially sealed the deal with new owner Bobby Patton in negotiations brokered by Jeremy Barwick, owner of Western Bloodstock.
“This is a very emotional day for us,” said Becky Fults. “This horse was our whole life for nine years, and he has impacted our family in more ways than I can begin to express. This was the biggest and hardest decision of our lives.”
With business interests in gas, oil, insurance and ranching, Patton is a partner of Guggenheim Baseball Management, which in April 2012 purchased the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2015, Patton slid into a the sport of cutting when he bought leading cutting sire Boon San in Walton’s Rocking W Ranch Absolute Dispersal Sale. Then in 2016 he purchased Spots Hot, the 2004 NCHA Open Futurity Champion, earner of $529,435 and sire 2016 NCHA Open Futurity winner Second Spot.
Now, Patton is ecstatic about his latest cutting horse player, “I’m excited! That’s what I’m feeling, more than anything else,” Patton said. “I was really excited when Clayton Kershaw signed his contracts and he was going to be a Dodger for a very long time, and I think this is a similar feeling,” Patton said, referring to when the team signed the superstar player in a 7-year, $215 million deal. “I really do think Metallic Cat might be the Clayton Kershaw of the cutting horse business.”
Indeed, Metallic Cat has set the big leagues on fire. With just four foal crops of show age, the 12-year-old stallion has already amassed $15,455,922 in offspring earnings, according to Robin Glen Pedigrees. No other cutting stallion has earned that much that fast. He was 2016 National Cutting Horse Association Sire of the Year, and at the end of that season stood at No. 13 on the list of all-time leading cutting sires.
“He is an once-in-a-lifetime horse,” Alvin Fults confirmed. “He has impacted the industry, and we are so humbled by his tremendous success. In every way, he has surpassed our expectations.”
Patton explained that Jesse Lennox, resident trainer at Rocking P Ranch, played a part in the acquisition. “We’ve got two Metallic Cat 2-year-olds in the barn that are unbelievable, and Jesse thinks they’re as good a pair of 2-year-olds that he’s ever seen. That went a long way in my decision to buy this horse.”
As for how the Fults came to own Metallic Cat, in 2008 they struck a deal to purchase the stallion, who was a 3-year-old at the time. This happened one year after Galyean used his truck as collateral to obtain a bank loan to buy the good-looking, red roan cutting prospect, which he found in a classified listing on the Internet. By High Brow Cat and out of Peptoboonsmal daughter Chers Shadow, Metallic Cat hit a home run at the 2008 NCHA Futurity when he and Galyean won the Open division and $250,000. Many victories followed and the stallion retired the same year with $637,711 in cutting earnings.
Right away, Alvin and Becky started promoting their young stallion. “The very first year we stood him there were people who took a risk on him,” Becky said. “We are forever grateful to all those mare owners.” (That faith was rewarded. Today, according to Equistat, 35 of Metallic Cat’s first-crop foals have earned a combined $2.9 million.)
Yes, Metallic Cat was a star player in the cutting sport. Yes, he’s a stellar sire and a record-setter. But according to Becky, he’s so much more “Metallic Cat was truly family, and he impacted every single one of us – he changed our lives,” she explained. “And so many people are a part of our family – including Beau and Ashley Galyean, Dr. Gregg Veneklasen, Debbie Roberts of Spurs in taking his marking to a whole new level, along with all of the people who have helped at our ranch. Also, we thank all of the mare owners who bred to Denver [Metallic Cat’s barn name], along with the trainers and owners who purchased, trained and believed in Metallic Cat’s foals. We appreciate all the fans who followed Metallic Cat and sent letters. We are just very thankful to everyone who made our dream come true.”
Patton is looking forward to the arrival of his horse.
“I’m definitely going to hug him!” Patton said happily, adding that he plans to get his picture taken with Metallic Cat the moment he unloads at the ranch – just like he did with Spots Hot and Boon San. “I look forward to adding this one to the collection.”
Metallic Cat will live at Rocking P Ranch until the 2018 breeding season. That’s when he and Spots Hot go to Brazos Valley Stallion Station in Stephenville, Texas, an operation owned by Jeremy and Candace Barwick. Patton enjoys having his horses at home as much as possible, and he looks forward to what happens next.
“I love the cutting industry and I like to ride the horses,” Patton said. “But I really enjoy the business aspect of cutting. I am intrigued by the economics of the stud business, and that’s what opened my eye to the possibility of owning a great stallion such as Metallic Cat. I’m confident that Metallic Cat is ultimately going to be the best sire in the cutting horse business, and I’m just so very grateful to have the opportunity to own him.
Patton was thanked by the Fults, and added that he understood the gravity of their decision to sell the special stallion.
“I think it was an emotional decision for them, and I know they’re sad their baby is headed south to Fort Worth,” Patton said. “I was worried they were going to change their minds. All I can say, I hope they know he has a good home.”
“It gives us peace that he will have a wonderful home,” Becky said tearfully. “Congratulations to Rocking P Ranch. They now own a once-in-a-lifetime stallion.”
For more information about Metallic Cat, please visit www.metalliccat.com

The National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Super Stakes Open finals on April 15 featured some of the best 4-year-old cutting horses in the industry, several of which have a past that includes the sale ring. Seven of the 21 Open finalists were former sale horses, including the Champion and Reserve Champion.

Long before Hashtags carried Tatum Rice to the Super Stakes Open Championship, breeder Jim Haworth consigned him to the 2014 NCHA Preferred Breeders Sale. Selling through Session 2, the then-yearling colt brought a final bid of $81,000 from Oswaldo Celis, who acted as agent for Venezuelan owner Raul Garcia.

Hashtags’ $81,000 price tag was the day’s fifth-highest, and the 27th highest price overall at the NCHA Futurity Sales. Two years later, Hashtags (Metallic Cat x Dual Rey Tag x Dual Rey) returned to the Will Rogers Complex as a competitor in the NCHA Futurity. He had already tied for 10th in the first go and seventh in the second when his full brother, Black Tags, stepped into the sale ring during the Preferred Breeders Sale (Session 2). Celis placed the final bid at $59,000 for the 2015 colt. The next day, Hashtags was third in the Open semifinals, and he followed that up with an eighth-place effort in the NCHA Futurity Open finals.

Of the seven former sale horses, three were offered multiple times in what is known as “pinhooking.” The most successful of those was NCHA Super Stakes Open Reserve Champion Melting Snow.

Melting Snow returned to the NCHA Futurity Sales in 2015, when she was consigned to the 2-Year-Old Sale (Session 1) by Select Stock. This time, it took $280,000 to buy Melting Snow, whose new owner was Rusty Simpson, of Buck Creek Quarter Horses in Nemo, Texas.

Melting Snow was not the only six-figure sale horse in the NCHA Super Stakes Open finals. At the 2014 Select Yearling Sale and Gala, Miss Stylish Katz (High Brow Cat x Miss Stylish Pepto x Peptoboonsmal) sold for $152,000. Breeders Glenn and Debbie Drake consigned the filly, who was purchased by Sierra Oak Ranch. That same week, a full sister of the same age, Katz Stylish Miss, went through the Preferred Breeders Sale (Session 2), where she was repurchased by the Drakes for $45,000.

The National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Super Stakes Open finals on April 15 featured some of the best 4-year-old cutting horses in the industry, several of which have a past that includes the sale ring. Seven of the 21 Open finalists were former sale horses, including the Champion and Reserve Champion.

Long before Hashtags carried Tatum Rice to the Super Stakes Open Championship, breeder Jim Haworth consigned him to the 2014 NCHA Preferred Breeders Sale. Selling through Session 2, the then-yearling colt brought a final bid of $81,000 from Oswaldo Celis, who acted as agent for Venezuelan owner Raul Garcia.

Hashtags’ $81,000 price tag was the day’s fifth-highest, and the 27th highest price overall at the NCHA Futurity Sales. Two years later, Hashtags (Metallic Cat x Dual Rey Tag x Dual Rey) returned to the Will Rogers Complex as a competitor in the NCHA Futurity. He had already tied for 10th in the first go and seventh in the second when his full brother, Black Tags, stepped into the sale ring during the Preferred Breeders Sale (Session 2). Celis placed the final bid at $59,000 for the 2015 colt. The next day, Hashtags was third in the Open semifinals, and he followed that up with an eighth-place effort in the NCHA Futurity Open finals.

Of the seven former sale horses, three were offered multiple times in what is known as “pinhooking.” The most successful of those was NCHA Super Stakes Open Reserve Champion Melting Snow.

Melting Snow returned to the NCHA Futurity Sales in 2015, when she was consigned to the 2-Year-Old Sale (Session 1) by Select Stock. This time, it took $280,000 to buy Melting Snow, whose new owner was Rusty Simpson, of Buck Creek Quarter Horses in Nemo, Texas.

Melting Snow was not the only six-figure sale horse in the NCHA Super Stakes Open finals. At the 2014 Select Yearling Sale and Gala, Miss Stylish Katz (High Brow Cat x Miss Stylish Pepto x Peptoboonsmal) sold for $152,000. Breeders Glenn and Debbie Drake consigned the filly, who was purchased by Sierra Oak Ranch. That same week, a full sister of the same age, Katz Stylish Miss, went through the Preferred Breeders Sale (Session 2), where she was repurchased by the Drakes for $45,000.

The National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Super Stakes Open finals on April 15 featured some of the best 4-year-old cutting horses in the industry, several of which have a past that includes the sale ring. Seven of the 21 Open finalists were former sale horses, including the Champion and Reserve Champion.

Long before Hashtags carried Tatum Rice to the Super Stakes Open Championship, breeder Jim Haworth consigned him to the 2014 NCHA Preferred Breeders Sale. Selling through Session 2, the then-yearling colt brought a final bid of $81,000 from Oswaldo Celis, who acted as agent for Venezuelan owner Raul Garcia.

Hashtags’ $81,000 price tag was the day’s fifth-highest, and the 27th highest price overall at the NCHA Futurity Sales. Two years later, Hashtags (Metallic Cat x Dual Rey Tag x Dual Rey) returned to the Will Rogers Complex as a competitor in the NCHA Futurity. He had already tied for 10th in the first go and seventh in the second when his full brother, Black Tags, stepped into the sale ring during the Preferred Breeders Sale (Session 2). Celis placed the final bid at $59,000 for the 2015 colt. The next day, Hashtags was third in the Open semifinals, and he followed that up with an eighth-place effort in the NCHA Futurity Open finals.

Of the seven former sale horses, three were offered multiple times in what is known as “pinhooking.” The most successful of those was NCHA Super Stakes Open Reserve Champion Melting Snow.

Melting Snow returned to the NCHA Futurity Sales in 2015, when she was consigned to the 2-Year-Old Sale (Session 1) by Select Stock. This time, it took $280,000 to buy Melting Snow, whose new owner was Rusty Simpson, of Buck Creek Quarter Horses in Nemo, Texas.

Melting Snow was not the only six-figure sale horse in the NCHA Super Stakes Open finals. At the 2014 Select Yearling Sale and Gala, Miss Stylish Katz (High Brow Cat x Miss Stylish Pepto x Peptoboonsmal) sold for $152,000. Breeders Glenn and Debbie Drake consigned the filly, who was purchased by Sierra Oak Ranch. That same week, a full sister of the same age, Katz Stylish Miss, went through the Preferred Breeders Sale (Session 2), where she was repurchased by the Drakes for $45,000.

Numbers from the recent 2017 Lucas Oil/National Cutting Horse Association Super Stakes are in, making it official that Metallic Cat is now that event’s highest earning sire. Sixty-nine of his foals won more than $831,500 across multiple divisions, which is the richest single-show payout in NCHA Super Stakes history. Metallic Cat foals finished Champion and Reserve Champion in the 4-Year-Old Super Stakes Open and topped the 5/6-Year-Old Classic Open, victories that helped their sire lay claim to nearly a third of the 2017 Super Stakes rich purse of $3.1 million.

Metallic Cat is following in the mighty horseshoes of his legendary father, High Brow Cat – the cutting industry’s all-time leading sire. High Brow Cat, who has $74 million in offspring earnings, topped the Super Stakes roster every year from 2004 through 2014 with the best being 2008 when his foals earned $716,688.

That trend changed in 2015 when Metallic Cat earned top billing as the Super Stakes’ leading sire with 43 offspring winning $553,926. In 2016, Metallic Cat was again the No. 1 Super Stakes stallion with 46 foals posting $413,422. Interestingly, in 2014 – the first year the Metallic Cat babies were old enough to show at the Super Stakes – 15 of them won $165,930, which placed their rookie sire fifth in a field of dozens of older, highly accomplished stallions.

All along, Metallic Cat has splintered records right and left. With just three full foal crops old enough for the show pen, the stallion’s lifetime offspring earnings teeter at the edge of $13 million, which is the fastest ascent in the history of the cutting horse industry. No stallion has earned this much, this quickly. Following the recent Lucas Oil/NCHA Super Stakes, according to figures provided by Robin Glenn, Metallic Cat’s lifetime sire money stands at $12,917,517. Also, in a field of dozens of excellent stallions, the relatively young 12-year-old stallion recently earned the prestigious titles of National Cutting Horse Association Sire of the Year and Equi-Stat Horse of the Year for the 2016 season.

Metallic Cat is owned by Alvin and Becky Fults of Amarillo, Texas.

“We’re just so humbled by his tremendous success,” Alvin said. “This has surpassed all of our expectations. We’re just very thankful to the mare owners who believed in ‘Denver’ [Metallic Cat’s barn name] and the trainers and owners who put so much work, time and faith into his foals.”

Taking a look at the 2017 Lucas Oil/NCHA Super Stakes, Metallic Cat’s leading offspring was Hashtags, a stallion ridden by Tatum Rice and owned by Jose Raul Garcia. Hashtags won the Stakes Open division and $74,104. This stallion is out of Dual Rey Tag, whose parents are the $31 million sire Dual Rey and Playin Tag – a mare with $235,000 in cutting earnings and winner of the 2004 NCHA Super Stakes.

Metallic Cat’s next 2017 Super Stakes superstar was Melting Snow, the mare who finished reserve in the Stakes Open for a $65,178 check. She was ridden by Clay Johnson and is owned by Buck Creek Quarter Horses. At the 2015 NCHA Futurity 2-Year-Old Sale, Buck Creek Quarter Horses placed the auction’s highest bid – paying $280,000 for Melting Snow, who is out of Dual Pep daughter Nurse Moss.

At this year’s Super Stakes, nearly half of the Stakes Open finalists – nine of 21 – were Metallic Cat foals. Together they won $382,420 and, inside of the top-10 finishers, Metallic Cat offspring finished first, second, fourth, tied for fifth and tied for seventh. They won money across the spectrum of the Open, Non-Pro and Amateur. In the Classic division for 5- and 6-year-old horses, Metallic Rebel – who was bred by the Fultses and is owned by Thomas Guinn, won the Open Championship with Beau Galyean riding. Metallic Rebel is out of Sweet Abra, an Abracabracre daughter owned by Alvin and Becky.

“I can tell you, it was an exciting Super Stakes!” Alvin said with a smile. “We’ve been blessed with this wonderful sire, and it’s been a dream come true watching foals show and succeed. Metallic Cat’s genes were built for winning, and it looks like those genetics are carrying on into the next generation.”

On the pedigree, High Brow Cat proved to be the perfect match with Chers Shadow, a Peptoboonsmal mare whose offspring have won $639,000. Alvin and Becky purchased Metallic Cat as a 3-year-old in 2008 from professional cutting horse trainer Beau Galyean. One year prior, Galyean ran across a listing for the 2-year-old Metallic Cat on an Internet horse sale site and then put up his truck as collateral to get a bank loan big enough to buy the red roan cutting-bred horse.

That risk paid off – and then paid some more. At the 2008 NCHA Futurity, Metallic Cat and Galyean won the Open division and $250,000 prize check. That was the first of many victories for the pair, and a few years later Metallic Cat retired with $637,711 in lifetime winnings. These days, Metallic Cat is at the heart of the Fults’ breeding program, one that features AQHA’s top sire and two top dams of 2016 (Metallic Cat was the top sire; Sweet Abra was AQHA Dam of the Year, and My Little Abra finished second).

From January through April 2017, Metallic Cat’s foals won just shy of $3 million at major limited-age cutting events. And the season is still young! The Breeders Invitational is on tap for May, and then the busy lineup features the NCHA Summer Spectacular, several lucrative limited-age events and, of course, the NCHA Futurity – which happens to be the cutting industry’s richest event. In fact, Metallic Cat son Stevie Rey Von won the 2015 NCHA Futurity and $200,000 with Ed Dufferena riding.

“When Denver won the NCHA Futurity back in 2008, we didn’t think it could get any better,” Fults said. “But we were wrong. Watching his son win five years later was even sweeter. We were like proud grandparents! Again, it was just more than Becky and I could have dreamed. I can tell you, we’re looking forward to seeing what happens this year!”

Metallic Cat is the contemporary sire to watch, both in and outside of the cutting horse industry. As records are set in cutting pens, Metallic Cat’s offspring are making inroads in other arenas – especially the reined cow horse. At the recent National Reined Cow Horse Association Stallion Stakes, Metalic Dual and Todd Bergen finished reserve in the Open division. Another finalist in that division – Cats Picasso ridden by 2017 World Greatest Horseman champion John Swales – set an all-time show record by marking a sizzling 228 points in the preliminary cow work round. Also in the preliminaries, Metalic Dual and Bergen finished third in the reining standings.

“We’re very excited about how the Metallic Cat foals are branching into the other disciplines,” Alvin said. “There’s a lot of promise in the reined cow horse, plus we’re looking forward to seeing some of his babies in the reining. We’d love for him to make his mark across the Western performance spectrum, that’s for sure. Metallic Cat is such a smart and talented horse, plus he’s got such an amazing mind. And we’re seeing all of those traits in his foals – on a variety of mares.”

The horses in the April 15 National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Super Stakes Open finals clawed their way through sets of difficult cattle to qualify for a chance at glory. With a field of 21 hopeful 4-year-olds and their riders, cutting fans in the Will Rogers Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas, were anxious to see how the finals would unfold.

Hashtags was one of nine horses by the great Metallic Cat, whose offspring earnings surpassed $12 million this year, to advance to the final round of the Open. The 4-year-old stallion, owned by Jose Raul Garcia, proved to be the best in the pack when he marked a 220 with Tatum Rice from the second draw in the second bunch of the Open finals to walk away with the Championship and a $74,095 paycheck.

“He’s a very good horse,” said Rice, an Equi-Stat Elite $1 Million Rider who lives in Weatherford, Texas. “He’s been very easy to train and he’s always wanted to get along from the get-go. He’s a real feely horse, and he just wants to please.”

Hashtags, bred by Jim Haworth, of South West City, Missouri, is out of the Dual Rey mare Dual Rey Tag ($57,251). His second dam is Playin Tag, a 2000 mare with more than $235,000 in earnings who carried Cara Brewer to the NCHA Super Stakes Open win in 2004.

This win nearly doubled Hashtags’ Equi-Stat record, which stood at $80,346 prior to the Super Stakes. The majority of that total was garnered during the 2016 NCHA Futurity, where the stallion and Rice finished eighth in the Open.

The Super Stakes Open Reserve title went to Melting Snow, a Metallic Cat mare who is owned by Buck Creek Quarter Horses LLC, of Nemo, Texas. Ridden by Clay Johnson, who pushed past the million-dollar mark in lifetime earnings with this performance, Melting Snow marked a 219.5 to miss the win by merely a half-point.

Melting Snow, who is out of Nurse Moss (by Dual Pep), first made headlines in 2015 when she sold for $280,000 at the 2015 NCHA Futurity 2-Year-Old Sale. Prior to that, the red roan mare brought a $52,000 bid from Rusty Simpson when Holmes Cutting Horses offered the then-yearling in the 2014 Preferred Breeders Sale during the NCHA Futurity.

Hashtags made his debut as a 2016 NCHA Futurity Finalist (8th place) and this year has been a finalist in the Cattlemen’s Derby and the Ike Hamilton Futurity. Including his Super Stakes winner’s check of $74,095 and prior official earnings of $81,390, the blue roan stallion has earned $155,485.

Rice, whose biggest single paycheck came when he placed third in the 2013 NCHA Futurity riding Johnny Reyngo, had NCHA earnings of $1,355,492 coming into the Super Stakes; he is slated to be inducted into the NCHA Riders Hall of Fame in June.

Hashtags is out of Dual Rey Tag LTE $50,706, by Dual Rey; his second dam, Playin Tag LTE $220,949, won the 2004 NCHA Super Stakes Non-Pro with Cara Barry Brewer.

Reserve champion Melting Snow LTE $77,803 was an NCHA Futurity Semi-Finalist and 2017 Abilene Spectacular finalist with Clay Johnson, who had won the 2012 NCHA Super Stakes riding KR Isadora Dual LTE $146,164. Melting Snow, a $280,000 purchase at the 2015 Western Bloodstock NCHA Futurity Sales, is out of a full sister to Dual Rey, cutting’s #3 all-time leading sire of NCHA money earners.

Clay Johnson, winner of the 2013 NCHA Futurity aboard Dual Smart Kitty LTE $316,251, by Dual Smart Rey, is a member of the NCHA Riders Hall of Fame and has earnings of $994,363.

Hot Revolver LTE $65,249 was an Abilene Spectacular and Arbuckle Mountain finalist under James Payne, before coming to the 2017 NCHA Super Stakes. The gray daughter of Spots Hot, sire of 2016 NCHA Futurity champion Second Spot, is the first performer out of Baretta Boon LTE $58,000, by Playgun.

James Payne, an NCHA Hall of Fame Rider and earner of $2,470,281, has had two previous NCHA Super Stakes finalists and was reserve champion in 2013 on Quick Be A Cat $83,786.

Rowdy Larson, Overbrook, Okla., pulled no punches in the Lucas Oil NCHA Super Stakes Limited Open Finals with a 222-point championship win on Johnny English and a 217-point lock on the reserve championship aboard Metallic Ina. Wes Ashlock, Abilene, Tex., placed third with 216 points on HC Tailgate Date.

Johnny English LTE $18,620, sired by Metallic Cat, is owned by Nick Meagher, Antonito, Colo. Larson showed the sorrel stallion to win the Limited Open division of the 2017 Cattlemen’s Derby and to place fourth in the Open Derby. He also showed Smartt Catt LTE $19,257, by Metallic Cat, to win the 2017 Cattlemen’s Derby 5/6 Limited Open.

Johnny English, a Western Bloodstock, Ltd. sale graduate bred by Crown Ranch, Weatherford, Tex., is out of Turtle Pie, by Son Ofa Doc, the dam of Jerryoes, 2001 NCHA Futurity Non-Pro champion under Chad Bush, owner of Crown Ranch. Apollo Creed, sired by Metallic Cat, owned by Nancy and Daniel Burkes, and shown by Brett McGlothlin to place fourth in the 2017 Super Stakes Limited Open Finals, was also bred by Crown Ranch.

Metallic Ina LTE $12,902, sired by Metallic Cat, is owned by The Over Forty Ranch, Wichita, Kan. The red roan mare placed ninth in the Bonanza Open with Larson and fifth in the Arbuckle Mountain Limited Open.

This was the eighth major limited open aged event win for Larson, who has NCHA earnings of $278,152. Johnny English and Metallic Ina also both qualified for the NCHA Super Stakes Open Semi-Finals on Friday, April 14.

During the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Super Stakes Limited Open finals, held on April 9 following the end of the Open second go, 16 determined horse-and-rider teams vied for top honors and a $7,420 paycheck.

Out of the first hole, Johnny English carried Rowdy Larson to a 222, a score that could not be touched through the rest of the finals. Larson himself came the closest to it when he rode back into the herd on Metallic Ina and marked a 217, which earned the Reserve Championship and $6,712 for owner/breeder The Over Forty Ranch.

“It’s amazing. It’s kind of a dream come true for us,” said Larson, of Overbrook, Oklahoma. “I’ve got two really special horses this year, and I’m just happy to do good on them. It’s hard enough to have a good horse and get him showed, but having two of them and getting them both showed in the same night is a pretty amazing deal.”

Johnny English (out of Turtle Pie x Son Ofa Doc) was bred by Crown Ranch LP, of Weatherford, Texas, and is owned by Nick Meagher, of Antonita, Colorado. The stallion and Metallic Ina (out of Hickory Badger Ina x Doc’s Hickory) are both by Equi-Stat Elite $11 Million Sire Metallic Cat. “Johnny’s” lifetime earnings now stand at $21,670, while Metallic Ina’s are approaching $23,000. Larson’s bankroll pushed past the $300,000 marker.

Metallic Rebel LTE $204,825, ridden by Beau Galyean for Thomas Guinn, Philadelphia, Miss., set a new Lucas Oil NCHA Super Stakes Classic Open record with a 229-point win on Saturday, April 1. The 5-year-old red roan stallion was bred by Alvin and Becky Fults, Amarillo, Tex., who own his sire, Metallic Cat.

CR Tuff Lucy LTE $302,785, shown by John Mitchell for Glade Knight, Weatherford, Tex., scored 224 points for the reserve championship. The 6-year-old mare was bred by Center Ranch, who owns her sire, Woody Be Tuff.

The NCHA Super Stakes Classic is the third championship for Metallic Rebel and Galyean in 2017. They also won the Abilene Spectacular 5/6 Open and the Arbuckle Mountain 5/6 Open. In 2016, they racked up wins in the Ike Hamilton Futurity, the Pacific Coast Derby, the Pacific Coast Cutting Stakes, and the West Texas Derby.

Metallic Rebel is out of Sweet Abra LTE $117,725, by Abrakadabracre, and full brother to three individual earners of $100,000-plus: Sweet Metallic LTE $130,962, Magic Metallic LTE $128,165, and Magistic Moon LTE $106,217 – all also bred by Fults and trained and shown by Galyean. Metallic Cat, from three crops to show, was the leading sire of NCHA money earners in 2016 and is on track as leading sire in 2017. He has more than $1 million in progeny earnings already this year.

Beau Galyean, a member of both the NCHA Non-Pro and the NCHA Open Riders Halls of Fame, and 2008 NCHA Futurity Open champion aboard Metallic Cat, is the NCHA earner of $2.9 million.

Metallic Rebel makes his presence known when he steps into the cutting pen, and his showing with Equi-Stat Elite $3 Million Rider Beau Galyean at the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Super Stakes was a familiar scene.

The Classic Open brought 26 of the cutting industry’s top athletes to the Will Rogers Coliseum, but Metallic Rebel edged out those competitors by 5 points when he marked a huge 229 for owner Thomas Guinn.

“We’ve had some big scores, and the horse is very capable of that,” Galyean said. “He does a good job as long as I set him up and allow him to show off his athletic ability.”

CR Tuff Lucy (Woody Be Tuff x Lucindas Catolena x High Brow Cat) and Equi-Stat Elite $4 Million Rider John Mitchell picked up the Reserve Championship and $25,804 after earning a 224. The 6-year-old mare was bred by Center Ranch and is owned by Slate River Ranch.

Horse Association (NVRHA) was established in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Today, the association boasts members from Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, New Mexico and Wisconsin. The NVRHA offers five classes for competitors: ranch riding, ranch trail, ranch cutting, working ranch horse and ranch conformation. In addition to class awards and achievement awards based on points, the association annually names a top horse as their “Legend” horse, which is directly related to the association’s motto, “Ride the Legend.” The 150-plus members of NVRHA qualify to compete in the year-end championship by competing in a minimum of two shows during the year. According to NVRHA Vice-President Donna Stewart, riders range from those who have never shown before to seasoned horse-show veterans looking for a change. “We offer a relaxed environment to enjoy horses with friends,” Stewart says. “Our association is a great place to start a young horse out—low pressure, safe environment, focus on education and ‘doing things right.’ ”Stewart says this year may hold some changes for the association. While there was a Youth division in NVRHA early on, the numbers dropped to the point where the youth were mixed into the other divisions. However, a recent uptick in young riders has the association looking to reinstate the Youth category. In addition, the association is in talks with groups in Alabama, Nebraska and Wyoming to add affiliate shows. In 2016, 32 competitors vied for titles at the September 24-26, championship show that caps off the year. Open Champion Lavert Avent, Elbert, Colorado, rode away with the title World’s Greatest Ranch Horse on Metallic Gun, owned by G.M. and Joyce Ann Jones. Avent originally joined NVRHA to improve as a competitor before trying his hand in reined cow horse shows. However, he kept returning because of the challenge of competing in multiple events. “It was a stepping stone to get my feet wet in the show pen and get more seasoned to go down the fence,” he says. “It just took off from there. I like it. It is really hard to get a horse seasoned for five or six events.

The cow classes are [this horse’s] real deal; I can always depend on him.” Lavert Avent started riding G.M. and Joyce Ann Jones’ stallion Metallic gun only a year ago. the two topped the open division to win the NVRHA’s World’s greatest ranch horse championship.

The cattle classes helped keep Avent in the hunt for the championship after a bobble or two in the ranch trail. All in all, Avent says the horse competed to his usual level, which is top of the class. In addition to showing at NVRHA events, Avent often acts as a clinician during the

Saturday clinic/Sunday show weekend events. Having clinicians like Avent who know what it is like to show in versatility and can offer sound advice is one of the reasons that Limited Amateur Champion Richard Cook enjoys showing in NVRHA. Cook rode his homebred 10-year-old Paint mare, Real To Reel, to the title.“I’ve been doing this for about 8 years and kind of toying with it, but nothing serious,” Cook says. “I’ve had fun and made friends, but this past year I decided to get serious about it. I went to more clinics and trainers to see what [the judges] wanted to see, studied the classes and rode harder to be better at it.”Cook’s dedication paid off with a win. He may have achieved one goal, but Cook has no intention of slacking off. He says that 2017 will find him showing in Amateur and riding a younger horse. For him, the friendships and quality of horses bring him back show after show.

“I did a lot of pleasure stuff when I was younger, but I got tired of doing that when the horses started to ‘false lope’ and stuff,” he says. “The [versatility] kind of showed up in my backyard, and I gave it a try. It was fun, and I slowly got more and more serious about it. The people [in NVRHA] are tremendously friendly. They are laid back and will help you if you have trouble.”

The helpful attitude and desire to make things fun is what Stewart sees as the association’s greatest benefit to members. “It is hard to bring people together and keep them motivated in an organization. We are all volunteer[s], and it can be a struggle,” Stewart says. “We don’t award money except in the Open at the finals, but we focus on edu-cation and outreach. We have a lot of people in our area that don’t know about ranch horse and versatility, and we want to change that.”

Copperish may have lost a cow in the Open semifinals at the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Futurity, but she has come on with power as a 4-year-old this year. She followed up several strong showings at early limited-age events with an impressive win at The Cattlemen’s Derby & Classic.

Ridden by Marietta, Oklahoma, trainer Lloyd Cox for Jimmie Smith, of Geary, Oklahoma, Copperish dominated the Derby Open in Graham, Texas, with a huge 227 in the 18-horse, two-set finals. The Double Dove Ranch-bred mare (Metallic Cat x Stylish Play Lena x Docs Stylish Oak) and her rider earned $15,000 for their efforts.

“The last cow was pretty tough, but she handled it real well. I was extremely pleased with how it went,” said Cox, who boasts lifetime earnings of more than $8 million. “These 4-year-olds have been to quite a few shows now and got seasoned, so they’ve gotten better. You put a good cow in front of them and they do pretty good.”

Stylish Play Lena, who garnered about $290,000 in her own show career with Cox, has produced 17 money-earners. Thanks to the paycheck Copperish picked up at The Cattlemen’s, her total get earnings surpassed the $1.5 million milestone, giving her an incredible offspring average of $88,751. Copperish is a half-brother to $300,000-plus earners Pepto Boom (by Peptoboonsmal), Hottish (by Spots Hot) and Smooth Talkin Style (by Smooth As A Cat).

Derby Amateur

The Derby Amateur finals may have been small – only 18 horses were entered in the division, so merely five advanced – but that didn’t stop Champions Medal For Honor and John Rockey from putting their best efforts forward.

Rockey, of Palmdale, California, rode the Double Dove Ranch-bred gelding (Metallic Cat x Charlies Angel Rey x Dual Rey) to a 218 to win his title and a $3,400 paycheck. That score was also good enough to top the Senior class for an additional $1,260.

Medal For Honor is the leading money-earner out of Charlies Angel Rey, who garnered nearly $40,000 in her own cutting career. The gelding is poised to overtake his dam with more than $37,000 in earnings after this win.

Rockey boasts almost $120,000 on his Equi-Stat record. The veteran cutter earned his first check in 1985, according to the database. He was recently seen in headlines with Let Georgie Do It (Metallic Cat x Hey Georgy Girl x Wild Thing DNA), who ended 2016 as the NCHA Amateur Horse of the Year.

Classic Amateur

Madison Crum and Metallictoy did their jobs so well in Graham that they made it back in both the Classic Unlimited Amateur and Classic Amateur finals. In the Amateur, they managed to best their 10 competitors for the Championship, worth $2,500.

From Weatherford, Texas, Crum went to The Cattlemen’s with just more than $20,000 to her name in Equi-Stat. Thanks to her win and a fourth-place finish in the Classic Unlimited Amateur, she boosted that number by $5,000.

Metallictoy (Metallic Cat x Smartlittlelenastoy x Smart Little Lena), bred by Banawien Ranch LLC, of Little Rock, Arkansas, sold to Beechfork Ranch in mid-2012. Since then, the 6-year-old red roan mare has garnered more than $70,000, including her checks from The Cattlemen’s. She is her dam’s second-highest earner behind half-brother Lean On Rey (by Dual Rey), whose lifetime earnings total $157,420.

5/6-Year-Old Non-Pro & Unlimited Amateur

Ruby Shadow Cat has made his mark in the Open with Jaime Snider and Gary Gonsalves, but in Arbuckle, the gelding (Metallic Cat x Ruby Tuesday DNA x Peppy San Badger) proved he could excel in several levels of cutting.

Owner Mike Kemna first took Ruby Shadow Cat in the 5/6-Year-Old Non-Pro and had an impressive showing that earned a 221 from the judges and the Championship.

A day later, Kemna built on his previous performance and laid down an impressive 227 on the gelding in the 5/6-Year-Old Unlimited Amateur to claim his second title at the event. Altogether, the pair garnered $11,690, which pushed Ruby Shadow Cat to more than $90,000 in lifetime earnings.

Regan Plendl and Mr Metallic Rey (Metallic Cat x Rey Of Oak x Dual Rey) hit the ground running at the 2016 National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Futurity and advanced to both the Amateur and the Unlimited Amateur finals.

The pair had some tough luck in both showings, but that didn’t discourage them from continuing with confidence at the Arbuckle Mountain Futurity. In the 4-Year-Old Non-Pro finals, the pair marked a stellar 224 to clinch the Championship.

They kept the momentum going today during the 4-Year-Old Unlimited Amateur finals and topped their previous score after earning a 225. Those top marks allowed them to grasp their second title in Arbuckle.

In total they collected $16,561 for the their wins, which pushed Plendl’s homebred gelding to an Equi-Stat record of $22,490. Plendl now boasts lifetime earnings of more than $125,981.

Metallic Rebel racked up several championships last year in the Derby Open classes, and his success is continuing as a 5-year-old with Equi-Stat Elite $3 Million RiderBeau Galyean in the saddle. The stallion added another title to his résumé during his time in Oklahoma by claiming the 5/6-Year-Old Open Championship.

Galyean and Metallic Rebel (Metallic Cat x Sweet Abra x Abrakadabracre) were fourth to go out of 17 horse-and-rider teams, and they laid down an impressive run, which was worth a blazing 229. No one was able to top their score, so they sent home an $8,000 check to owner Thomas Guinn, of Philadelphia, Mississippi. This win brings the stallion, who was bred by Alvin and Becky Fults, to lifetime earnings of more than $225,000.

Metallic Rebel kick-started his 2017 season with a win in the 5/6-Year-Old Open at the Abilene Cutting Spectacular and then made the 5/6-Year-Old Open finals in West Monroe, Louisiana, at The Ike Derby and Classic. In 2015, he picked up three Derby Open Championships at The Ike, the Pacific Coast Cutting Horse Association Derby and the West Texas Futurity. He is the highest money-earner out of Sweet Abra, who was the No. 1 producing dam of cutting horses in 2016, according to Equi-Stat.

Metallic Cat’s foals are eligible for a new $10,000 incentive purse at the 2016 National Reined Cow Horse Association Stallion Stakes.

Here is one more reason to love the great performer and sire Metallic Cat (High Brow Cat-Chers Shadow by Peptoboonsmal)! His foals are eligible for a new $10,000 incentive purse at the 2016 National Reined Cow Horse Association Stallion Stakes.

Any Metallic Cat foal that advances to the 2016 NRCHA Stallion Stakes finals is eligible for the incentive. The Metallic Cat offspring with the highest composite score in the finals will receive the $10,000 paycheck.

With just one-and-a-half performing foal crops, Metallic Cat’s sire earnings are already $5,822,895. In 2014, he was the the No. 2 sire of 3-year-old NRCHA performers and the No. 3 sire of National Cutting Horse Association performers.

The 2005 stallion, owned by Alvin and Becky Fults, is a NCHA Futurity champion, NCHA Horse of the Year and a member of the NCHA Hall of Fame. He is the second highest money-earning stallion in NCHA history, and in 12 show outings with cutting horse professional Beau Galyean at the reins, he never missed the finals or lost a cow.

NCHA Hall of Fame Rider Lloyd Cox tied himself for the championship of the 2017 Bonanza 4-Year-Old Open on Monday, February 13, at Silverado Arena in Weatherford, Tex.

Cox scored 223 points showing Copperish, owned by Jimmie Miller Smith, and 223 points on his own horse, Nothing Elz Matters, to claim the double championship; he also placed fifth with 218.5 points on Sly Reygirl, owned by Rocking L Cutting Horses. Pharoah And James, shown by Clint Allen for David and Stacie McDavid, and Crafty With Cows, ridden by R.L. Chartier for Carol Ward, scored 219 points as co-reserve champions.

Copperish, bred by Double Dove Ranch out of Stylish Play Lena LTE $264,474, an all-time leading producer of earners of over $1.5 million, and by Metallic Cat, is a three- quarter sister to Smooth Talkin Style LTE $293,232, the 2105 NCHA Open Horse of the Year, also shown by Lloyd Cox. Including her Bonanza earnings of $21,725, Copperish, an open finalist with Cox in the Abilene Spectacular and Ike Hamilton Futurity, has NCHA lifetime earnings of $42,366; Nothing Elz Matters, also sired by Metallic Cat, has earnings of $36,410.

Pharoah And James, sired by Hickorys Indian Pep and most recently an open and novice finalist at the Ike Hamilton Futurity, has NCHA earnings of $33,213. Crafty With Cows, by High Brow CD, third-placed in the 2016 NCHA Futurity and Reserve Champion Gelding in the 2017 Abilene Spectacular, has NCHA earnings of $162,497.

In addition to Copperish, Nothing Elz Matters and Sly Reygirl, Cox also tied with 215.5 points, the seventh-highest score in the 33-horse finals, on Im Highly Decorated, sired by High Brow CD and owned by Norda and Jim Berger, and Smooth XTC, sired by Smooth As A Cat and owned by Kathleen Moore.

Cox, also a finalist in the Bonanza 5/6-Year-Old Open on Miss Meow, owned by Tommy Manion, has earned a total of $64,313 in 2017 Bonanza competition and is an NCHA all-time leading earner of $7.7 million.

While there were several riders that had multiple horses in the 4-Year-Old Open finals at the Bonanza Cutting in Weatherford, Texas, one rider in particular had his work cut out for him. Lloyd Cox, of Marietta, Oklahoma, got all six of his horses from the first go into the finals, competing twice in the second bunch and four times in the third bunch. The hard work paid off when he rode two horses to a 223 and tied for the Championship.

“It was different,” said Cox, who surpassed the $8 million milestone at the Bonanza. “It’s a lot of work getting them ready and trying to get them all showed. I got everything showed but one. It doesn’t happen very often, so I was pretty pleased about getting them all in there.”

Though both of his winning runs were at the bottom of the final set of cows, Cox had a game plan that he was able to stick with.

“We cut all the cattle we pretty much wanted to cut that we thought were good that were left, and they turned out to be good,” he explained. “But I cut them good, which makes the difference, especially in this pen. They’re two really nice horses, so they then took over and did their jobs.”

He first marked the high score on Copperish (by Metallic Cat), who is owned by Jimmie Miller Smith, of Geary, Oklahoma. The sorrel mare was bred by Double Dove Ranch, who consigned her to the 2014 National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Futurity Select Yearling Sale. Smith purchased her for $210,000, making her the sale’s second-highest seller.

“She’s a great mare,” Cox said of “Copper.” “I made the semis at the [NCHA] Futurity, but I didn’t make the finals. I didn’t get showed very well. She’s been good pretty much everywhere since the Futurity. I didn’t get her showed every time in the finals and stuff like you want to, but she was good. It wasn’t her fault.”

His second co-champion was Nothing Elz Matters (by Metallic Cat), a homebred belonging to he and his wife Christina. Nothing Elz Matters is out of Little Peppy Jazz (by Smart Little Lena), who has produced five offspring with earnings of more than $90,000.

“He’s just a little bitty ol’ horse, but he’s real cowy and he moves really good and tries really hard,” Cox said of “Rajah.”

For the co-championships, Cox amassed $43,450. He picked up an additional $18,363 from his other four horses in the finals.

Sires are ranked by the earnings of their known progeny in NCHA produced and approved events during the 2016 calendar year. Rankings are determined by all NCHA earnings during the year. The sire’s description is on the second line, along with his leading money earner of 2016 and that horse’s 2016 earnings.

Metallic Cat is taking over as the year’s leading sire for the first time, after a lengthy streak by High Brow Cat from 2003 through 2015. In 2016, Metallic Cat’s AQHA money earners picked up 3,791,601 (not including money won by several non-AQHA Horses). There were 308 American Quarter Horses in that roster.

Top AQHA broodmare Sweet Abra was represented by seven money earners in 2016 who earned a total of $280,524. All but $804 of that total came from Metallic Cat offspring.
Her top earner was Metallic Rebel, who made $154,879 in 2016 as the winner of major aged events at The Ike, Pacific Cost Derby, West Texas Derby, and the Pacific Coast Cutting Stakes.

All things at Fults Ranch revolve around Metallic Cat, and that’s just how the stallion likes it.

written by Kelsey Pecsek – QHN

Shortly after turning onto Tradewind Street in Amarillo, Texas, you reach the edge of Fults Ranch. As you dodge rolling tumbleweeds and continue down the rural road to the driveway, some fields are filled with irrigated alfalfa while others are speckled with roan yearlings. Every day except Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during breeding season, the ranch gates swing wide-open to welcome visitors who come from all over to see Metallic Cat, affectionately known as “Denver.”

Once guests enter the property, which Alvin and Becky Fults have owned for 13 years, they have entered Denver’s house. The 12-year-old stallion (High Brow Cat x Chers Shadow x Peptoboonsmal) resides on his own 200-acre oasis in the middle of the Texas Panhandle. He wants for nothing, and his life is carefully orchestrated by a dedicated team that holds his happiness and success above all else.

The life he lives
Denver follows a regular schedule, especially during breeding season, in an effort to keep him focused on his job and content with his day-to-day life. Alvin, Becky and breeding manager Tara Sagniere are all on the grounds most of the time, but no matter what, at least one of them is always there.
On a typical day, Sagniere arrives around 7 a.m. and feeds Denver his first ration of breakfast. She leaves him to his meal while she feeds the mares she also manages. During the hot days of summer, the stallion stays in his stall with a personal air conditioner. When weather permits, Sagniere waits for him to finish eating and then escorts the stallion from the barn to his 12-acre paddock, where he enjoys a healthy portion of his private selection of Fults Ranch-grown alfalfa, known as “Denver hay.” He is surrounded by a band of mares, and all that separates him from his herd are a few fences for safety.
“On the south side, we generally have two mares per trap, so there will be eight on that side,” Sagniere said. “Then on the north side, it just depends on what’s going on, but it’s going to be mares, or both mares and babies. He enjoys seeing his babies, so we try to keep them close, too.”
On collection days, Dr. Gregg Veneklasen and the crew from Timber Creek Veterinary Hospital arrive mid-morning. The stallion handler walks out to the pasture to retrieve Denver, who is greeted in the barn area by tease mares and then taken directly into his private collection area.
“He doesn’t act like a stud; he’s always just chill,” Sagniere explained of Denver’s disposition. “That’s how he almost always is when we collect, too. He’s just a happy-go-lucky kind of guy.”
While Veneklasen and his team process Denver’s semen in the Fults’ lab, Sagniere returns the laid-back stallion to his field, where he stays for the remainder of the day. He will stand at his gate should he decide he is ready to come in early; otherwise, he returns to his barn full of mares at sunset.
Between collection days during breeding season, and several times a week in the offseason, Denver has a job. Rather than just stand in his stall with the neon green Jolly Ball he mostly ignores or in his paddock next to his herd, he is taken out for rides with Sagniere, who is his main caretaker. Sometimes, Alvin uses the stallion for turning back or Ben Hight, the Fultses’ 2-year-old trainer/breeding assistant, uses him to gather cattle.
“It’s a rough part of the job,” Sagniere joked, admitting she feels pretty special to be the one who keeps the $10 million-plus sire exercised. “He’s wicked smart, but if you didn’t know you were on something so amazing, you’d think he was just a horse because he’s so relaxed.”
To the untrained eye, Denver’s life seems simple. The stallion has bred 300-plus mares every year since 2013, according to American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) records and Becky’s 2016 paperwork, so an outsider may assume it’s merely the product of breeding a fertile young sire. If you ask the team at Fults Ranch, though, it is the result of years of careful planning and the continually revised execution of that plan.
“During breeding season, the phones are ringing off the wall to book him,” Becky said. “We’re blessed because people believe in him, but we’re so blessed because his semen is so potent that he can handle that many.”

Living naturally
Although Denver has always lived on the ranch in Amarillo, his life has changed dras­tically since he was a show horse. After the 2008 National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Futurity Open Champion amassed $637,711 with Beau Galyean at the reins, Fults Ranch underwent a massive remodel to ensure the facility was fit for the horse they hoped would become one of the industry’s top sires.
The old barn where Denver used to be stalled is now reserved for broodmares pre­paring to foal. The stallion has moved to a newer wing of the facility, tucked safely away from the bustle of ranch business and isolated from any horses that may be coming or leaving.
When the Fultses are actively showing, a four-stall quarantine barn at the front of the property is utilized to ensure nothing Denver comes into contact with could be contaminated from outside sources. The stallion never has to leave the ranch, and no other horses use his stall, pasture or breed­ing facilities.
“We didn’t want him to ever get in a trailer again, and outside mares aren’t brought in anymore, either,” Becky said, explaining that during Denver’s first year standing as a stud, he was collected off the premises at Timber Creek in Canyon, Texas. “A freak accident or anything could happen. We just wanted him here. We wanted to see him every day to make sure he was happy and healthy, and just to be hands on.”
Extensive biosecurity measures are just the start of what makes the program at Fults Ranch unique. The design of Denver’s personal barn and paddock is one not com­monly seen, especially in the Western perfor­mance horse world.
In the interest of form to function, Denver’s stall is located adjacent to Sagniere’s office and the collection room. The over­sized stall, complete with windows and an open-air door, allows the stallion to move freely and socialize. All of the horses in Denver’s area are mares used in the Fultses’ breeding program, so the stallion is able to watch over his band when he is inside. Denver’s designated pasture is double­fenced and lined with smaller traps for his mares. The purpose is to allow the young stallion to live as naturally as possible, while still keeping him, the broodmares and his babies safe.
“To be a stallion is a lonely life,” Alvin said. “They can’t touch other animals or be in the same pen as other animals. We strive to make this as natural of a habitat as we can without it being natural. We are fortunate to have the facility where we can do that.” According to Sagniere, Denver has responded well to his simulated natural environment by producing some of the most viable semen she’s dealt with since entering the equine reproduction field in 2002 while still attending West Texas A&M. It also has benefits for the mares, she said.
“I think it helps Denver’s libido,” she explained. “In the wild, there is a stallion for a herd of mares. That’s as close to it as we can get being in captivity. The talking back and forth with mares and stallions also creates a natural oxytocin release [in the mares], so the ones that are having trouble and carrying fluid in their uterus have a natural way to clean that out, which helps them reproductively.”

Learning how to listen
The art of listening takes time to master, but the team at Fults Ranch has put their experience to good use with Denver. They are constantly reevaluating every aspect of the program to make the stallion’s life more pleasurable. “He speaks loud; we’ve just got to learn to listen,” Alvin explained, adding that simply ensuring Denver has adequate turnout time has been shown to increase his numbers exponentially in the lab. “In my view, it took a year to figure out what he was trying to tell us. Since then, we’ve been able to accommodate what he wants, and it works very well. It’s been a game changer, and it’s the reason we’ve been able to keep him in Amarillo, Texas.”
To help Denver focus on his job, Fults Ranch goes into lockdown on collection days. All but those taking care of Denver are under strict instructions to stay away from the stallion’s barn, and ranch noise is kept to a minimum with a ban on running tractors or other loud equipment. “We make sure everything is perfect for him,” Becky said.
Sagniere, part-time worker Brianna Hogg, Hight and the Fultses use several factors to determine how satisfied Denver is with his routine. His disposition and behavior are major indicators, but at the end of the day, his semen count is considered the most quantifiable way to “listen” to what Denver is telling them he likes or dislikes.
“It’s a roundtable discussion,” Becky explained. “Every collection, we want to know if he was happy or mad, and how his numbers are. Ifhe was mad or his numbers were lower than usual, we all sit around and talk about why and what we may have done differently.”
“Every decision is influenced by Denver. The ranch revolves around him,” Alvin said. “With every decision that’s being made here, the first question is how will it influence him. We keep that as priority one, whether we’re fixing to brand babies or move horses to a different pen. The question is, how is that going to affect him?”
Through trial and error, the Fultses have found that Denver is sensitive to things some would likely dismiss as possible causes of reduced fertility. Something as trivial as who is exercising the 2013 AQHA Leading NCHA Freshman Sire has affected his sperm count. For instance, when Hight has recently ridden Denver, he is unable to be in the room when the horse is collected; how­ever, Denver’s semen count is higher when he’s worked regularly by the horseman.
“He [Denver] has never been in a situation where he wasn’t a using horse and a collect­ing stallion,” Sagniere said. “For Denver, there’s a place for everything and everything in its place. In [the collection room], he gets to do what he wants; there basically are no rules. But he’s smart enough that he associates a person with what is expected of him, so when Ben was the one riding him, he wouldn’t collect [with Ben in the room] because he sees Ben as an authority figure.”
Other small things have proven to cause a fluctuation in Denver’s viability, and with each new obstacle, the team has worked together to find the best solution. Regardless of how simple or silly those factors may seem, Denver’s well-being and happiness is paramount.
The most difficult situation the team has had to overcome developed when the Fultses brought Sannman home to the ranch. The 2010 son of Metallic Cat (out of The Smart Look x Smart Little Lena) was immediately seen as a threat.
“He was angry,” Becky said of Denver’s reac­tion. “He couldn’t see l1im because he was on the other side of the farm, but they could hear each other. There was a barn, an arena and a house between them, and we never collected him [Sannman] here, but Denver was angry so his numbers were way down. That’s when we decided to sell Sannman:’
“The very next collection day everything was back to normal,” Alvin added. “But it depends on the horse. I’ve had discussions with other stallion owners that said bringing in another stallion actually helps because it’s competition. We just knew we couldn’t get Sannman any farther away from Denver than we did, and it still didn’t matter. He was say­ing, ‘This is my house!'”
Although Alvin and Becky recognize that it’s not likely all stallions are as particular as theirs, they do believe their strategy of using semen evaluation as a measurement of Denver’s happiness is vital to the success of the stallion’s breeding career. They count it as a blessing that they are able to manage him so precisely, and welcome others to ask for ideas on how to integrate the Fultses’ concepts into their own breeding facility.
“I would be more than happy to help any­one that owns a stallion with what’s worked for us,” Alvin said. “I think why we’ve been able to excel is that we only have one stal­lion, so he gets all the attention. But there’s no way we could promote him as well as he’s promoted himself.
“It’s an honor to get to do it. I don’t know why we were the ones to be the owners of such a great animal, but we’ve accepted the challenge. We’re going to enjoy the journey and do everything we can to make him the best that he can be.”

The final session of the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Futurity Sales was held on Saturday, Dec. 10, in Fort Worth, Texas. A large crowd was on hand for the NCHA Futurity Cutting Horse Sale, which had 100 head of trained performance horses cataloged and saw two horses sell for more than $100,000.

The highest seller at $140,000 was Magic Metallic, a 2010 mare who had earnings of $128,537 through October. In her limited-age career, Magic Metallic won the West Texas Classic Open, finished third in the Abilene Winter Derby Open, The Ike Open Classic, Arbuckle Mountain Classic Open and Bonanza Classic Open, and was a finalist in several major aged events.

Magic Metallic was consigned by Fults Ranch, which owns her sire, Metallic Cat. She is out of the Abrakadabracre daughter Sweet Abra, who has produced earners of nearly $700,000. Several of Sweet Abra’s offspring are full siblings to Magic Metallic, including Metallic Rebel ($195,124), Sweet Metallic ($157,607), Magistic Moon ($79,253), Magic Metalman ($47,289) and Metallilac ($10,916).

It’s not often that buyers get a chance to bid on a World Champion, but that’s exactly what happened when Hip No. 6020, Mercedes Smoothe, walked into the ring. The 2009 mare had been ridden by Gavin Jordan to the 2016 NCHA $25,000 Novice World Championship. Consigned by Reata Cutting Horses, she sold for $100,000.

On sale day, Mercedes Smoothe had earnings of $148,900, according to the NCHA. The Smooth As A Cat mare is out of $112,127-earner CDs Masterpiece, by CD Olena. Mercedes Smoothe is a full sister to CDs Smooth Cat ($15,376) and a half-sister to NCHA Eastern National Championships Non-Pro Champion Hickorys Indian Macy ($101,375, by Hickorys Indian Pep), NCHA Futurity Open finalist Andreya ($53,906, by Dual Rey), National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity Open finalist Thiscatsamasterpiece ($18,175, by WR This Cats Smart) and others.

Many of the consigned horses were aging out of the limited-age ranks, including Hip No. 6041, 2010 mare Stylin Sweetie. John McClaren consigned the Stylin Cat mare, who was the third-highest seller at $80,000. An earner of $97,807, Stylin Sweetie is out of the Smart Little Lena mare Salute This, a winner of $125,647. Stylin Sweetie is a full sister to $10,000-earner Ezzy Stylin Cat and a half-sister to Cat On A Mission ($39,966, by High Brow Cat), Debbie Does Ft Worth ($14,922, by Playgun) and Smart Lookin Lucky ($12,475, by WR This Cats Smart).

As the end of the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Futurity draws near, the action is ramping up, and on Dec. 8, the Unlimited Amateur finalists got their time in the spotlight. Thirty-two talented duos competed for the coveted Champion’s check, but it was Wade Smith and Metallic Candlelit that walked away with the $12,656 payday.

In the first go-round, the mare and Miller marked a 216.5, then they returned in the semifinals, where they marked a 214.5 to secure their spot in the finals.

They were the seventh draw in the first set of cattle, and they laid down a solid run that the judges rewarded with a score of 221. After waiting through the rest of the first set and the entire second set, Miller, of Geary, Oklahoma, began to celebrate his victory. This win brings his Equi-Stat record to nearly $300,000.

Metallic Candlelit is by Equi-Stat Elite $10 Million Sire Metallic Cat and is out of the Smart Little Lena mare Light My Candle, who won $11,885 in her cutting career. She has produced one other performer, Metallic Radiance, a full-brother to Metallic Candlelit, and he has earned more than $8,000 in the show pen so far.

“The mare has been so smart and so mature the whole show,” Miller said after his winning run. “I was just worrying about making my cuts and she did everything else.”

Eddie Patterson and Calculated Risk (CD Royal x Trouble Lynn 495 x Smart And Trouble) claimed the Reserve Championship with a score of 219. They took home a check for $11,398.

Session II of the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Futurity 2-Year-Old Sale wrapped up in Fort Worth, Texas, on Tuesday, Dec. 6, and the hammer fell at an impressive $375,000 for Hip No. 2041, Summer Shandy.

Bobby Patton’s Rocking P Ranch signed the ticket for Summer Shandy, who was in training with Andy Christensen at sale time. Dry Creek Ranch consigned the filly, who is by Equi-Stat Elite $10 Million Sire Metallic Cat and part of the first crop out of Pippis Longstocking, a Dual Smart Rey mare who earned $74,319. Pippis Longstocking is a half-sister to Peps Calm Down ($69,342, by Peppys Boy 895) and Highbrows Serenity ($32,297, by Smart Lil Highbrow).

The second-highest seller, Hip No. 2048, Rey Luis, was trained by Chris Hanson and brought a final bid of $172,000. Chad Bushaw’s Crown Ranch LP consigned the Dual Smart Rey colt, who is out of the That Sly Cat mare Sly Playgirl. During her career, Sly Playgirl won $343,307 and was a multiple limited-age event champion. Her wins included the Breeders Invitational (BI) Classic Open, BI 5-Year-Old Open and Brazos Bash Classic Open.

Rounding out the top three was hip No. 2076, Metallic Lil Playboy. Hayden Upton trained and consigned the colt, who sold for $100,000. Metallic Lil Playboy is by Metallic Cat and out of Stylish Sharon, by Docs Stylish Oak. His dam has produced earners of more than $435,000, including Sir Stylish Lizzy ($209,922), Stylish Lizzorro ($77,634), Mr Lizzy ($41,311) and Notsharonmylizzy ($37,081), who of whom are by Lizzys Gotta Player (Freckles Playboy x Lizzielena x Doc O’Lena). This family is full of black type, as Stylish Sharon is a full sister to NCHA World Champion Gelding Mr Mom DNA ($223,837), NCHA Horse of the Year Playin Stylish and others.

The final week of the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Futurity is underway, and Session I of NCHA Futurity 2-Year-Old Sale took place on Dec. 5 in Fort Worth, Texas. Hip No. 1024, Metallic Quintan 014, brought a final bid of $100,000, making her the highest seller.

The filly, who is by Equi-Stat Elite $10 Million Sire Metallic Cat and out of the CD Olena mare Quiolena, was consigned by Wes Ashlock, Agent. Metallic Quintan 014 is a half-sister to the great mare Quintan Blue (by Mecom Blue), who was the 2004 NCHA Futurity Open Reserve Champion and went on to earn $609,140. Some of her other half-siblings include Mecom Bay Roan, an NCHA Futurity Open finalist who is also by Mecom Blue and has earnings totaling $94,579, and Quiaheaven (by Mr Peppys Freckles), who garnered $25,641 in the show pen from 2009 to 2015.

Sylver Dollar and The Golden Shot shared the lead with scores of 221 after the first day of Open competition at the Jerry’s Chevrolet NCHA Futurity, presented by Great American Insurance in Fort Worth, Texas on November 17.

Clay Johnson and Sylver Dollar hit the mark in the fourth set, while James Payne and The Golden Shot followed up in the sixth set as 101 contestants faced the judges.

Sheza Surefire Kitty, ridden by Steve Oehlhof and Rose Colored Rey, ridden by Beau Galyean, both had the day’s next highest score, a 219.

Johnson, a Hall of Fame Rider who won the 2013 NCHA Futurity on Dual Smart Kitty, rode Sylver Dollar for Lone Oak Performance Horses. The red roan stallion was bred by Linda Holmes by Metallic Cat out of Reymember Me, a Dual Rey mare that was a Non-Pro Futurity finalist with Holmes in 2008.

Reymember Me’s first and second dams, Nurse Elaine and High Brows Nurse, both carried Holmes to reserve championships in the Non-Pro NCHA Futurity. High Brows Nurse is a half-sister to $31 million sire Dual Rey.

Johnson, who also won the 2012 NCHA Super Stakes on KR Isadora Dual, has career earnings of $871,000.

The Golden Shot, ridden by Hall of Famer James Payne, is owned by Kathleen Moore. Payne and his wife, Nadine, bred the palomino mare by WR This Cats Smart out of Velvets Best Shot. Payne won the 2009 Chisholm Trail Classic on Velvets Best Shot.

The mare’s first money earner is Velvets Revolver, a full brother to The Golden Shot, which Nadine Payne rode to win the Non-Pro Super Stakes last spring. Velvets Revolver has won more than $158,000 in Open and Non-Pro competition.

Payne is a two-time NCHA Classic Challenge champion with career earnings of $2.3 million. His first Classic Challenge win was with Sarenadual in 2012. The Golden Shot’s owner, Kathleen Moore, had won the Amateur NCHA Derby with Sarenadual two years earlier.

Todd Gann and Hevvy Metal moved from fifth place in the World standings in the $25,000 Novice to the Reserve World Champion position by earning $4,287 and the Show Championship to start the day’s action in the Watt Arena at the Mercuria National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) World Finals on Dec. 1.

Gann and “Scrap Iron” marked a 221 in the first round and won the second go with a 223, for an average-winning 444. They ended the year with $26,427 in earnings. Owned by Thomas Guinn, of Philadelphia, Mississippi, Hevvy Metal is a 6-year-old Metallic Cat gelding out of the Dual Pep mare Dual Nurse, who was the 2003 NCHA Non-Pro World Finals Show Champion.

Four Metallic named WRCA World Championship Top Horse.

The Metallic Cat stallion Four Metallic was honored as the Top Horse at the 2016 Working Ranch Cowboys Association World Championship Ranch Rodeo, which concluded November 13 in Amarillo.

The 5-year-old red roan Ranching Heritage-bred stallion was ridden by Tripp Townsend of Earth, Texas, as they competed on the Sandhill Cattle Co. team.

There were 22 teams that competed at this year’s event. The Sandhill Cattle Co. cowboys are three-time champions in the event’s history, and were this year the reserve champion team. This is only the second time Four Metallic has been shown, and the first ranch rodeo.

“He’s just been a fun horse,” Townsend said. “This is his first rodeo, ever. I never got to take him to a practice rodeo. I’ve been wanting to ride him in one, and this is the only one I’ve been to since I got him back. I was very proud of him; he took it all very good.

The horse’s strength, Townsend said, comes from a good mind and general talent.

“He’s just good to rope on,” he added. “He’s good to sort on, he’s laid back and easy going and good everywhere.”

Four Metallic was bred by Ranching Heritage Breeder and Zoetis Best Remuda winner Haythorn Land and Cattle Co. of Arthur, Nebraska. He is owned by H&T Horses.

His sire, Metallic Cat, is an 11-year-old son of High Brow Cat. From seven registered crops, Metallic Cat has sired two AQHA world champions and progeny earnings in excess of $10.1 million in events including National Cutting Horse, National Reined Cow Horse and Stock Horse of Texas competition. This is his first Top Horse-winning progeny.

Dam Raspberry Slush is a 1990 daughter of Eddie Eighty out of the Happy Hancock mare Hancock Cinco.

“That old mare was one of the last daughters of Eddie Eighty, and she’d been a super mare,” Craig Haythorn said of selecting her for the cross, noting that she had consistently produced both quality riding geldings and breeding stock, including sires Slush Wood (by Drifts Chip) and Four Gray Gun (by PG Shogun).

“He was always a little smaller than I thought he would be,” Haythorn said of Four Metallic. “The mare wasn’t a big mare, but Eddie Eighty was a big horse, and they bred bigger. But we always liked him. Everything about him.

“He’s real quiet, real laid-back,” he continued. “Anything you want to do, he just does it. He’s not just a knock-out in one event, but you can do just anything on him. And to be only 5, and this is only the second time he has ever been shown in his life, to win Top Horse is quite an achievement.”

This is the fifth WCRR Top Horse award Haythorn’s horses have won, although it is the first time the honor was earned with someone other than Haythorn aboard.

“For me, it has just been an honor to be able to ride him for the Haythorns,” Townsend said. “That they put that much trust in me to send him to me. And when you have a dream for a horse and it starts to come true, that’s really fun. I was more proud for them than anything tonight.”

Four Metallic is scheduled to compete at the Ranch Horse Association of America Finals in Abilene next spring before heading back to the ranch to continue his work as a ranch sire.

“We have some 2-year-olds by him at home that we’ve already started that we’re well pleased with,” Haythorn said. “We’ve had a lot of interest in him and been well pleased with what we’re getting.”

The Reserve Top Horse was Shining Miki Sioux, a 2007 brown mare by Zans Diamond Shine and out of Miki Blue Eyes by Colonel Gaddis. She was ridden by Toby Snyder and owned by Snyder Ranch of Coldwater, Kansas. They competed for the Snyder Ranch & Woolfolk Ranch team; “Diamond” and Snyder won the top horse award at the Meade Co. Fair and Rodeo, where their team got qualified.

Metallic Merry and Cara Brewer matched their 220 in the first round with a 220 in the second to take the lead in the first day of Open second-round competition Wednesday at the Jerry’s Chevrolet NCHA Futurity, presented by Great American Insurance.

Their cumulative 440 put them half a point ahead of Tatum Rice on Hashtags who marked 220,5 and 219 for a 439.5.

Metallic Merry is a bay roan mare bred by Cindy McIlvanie and owned by Michelle and Michael Merkley of Peoria, Illinois. She is by Metallic Cat out of Playguns Star, a Playgun mare that Cara Brewer’s mother, Sue Barry, rode to fifth place in the 2001 NCHA Non-Pro Futurity.

Playguns Star earned $115,000 and has produced five money earners, including Stars And Cats, a three-quarter sister to Metallic Merry that Brewer rode to the Breeders Invitational finals.

Brewer, who has earned more than $900,000, won the 2004 NCHA Super Stakes on Playin Tag. She is a two-time NCHA Futurity finalist, in 2004 and 2008.

UPDATE: Metallic Merry’s score held up to lead after the second round of the Open. Sixty-four horses marked 432.5 or better to advance to the semi-finals, scheduled for Friday, December 9.

Two-time NCHA Futurity champion Craig Thompson and Metallicity took the lead Friday in the first round of the Open at the Jerry’s Chevrolet NCHA Futurity, presented by Great American Insurance, in Fort Worth.

They marked 223 in the third set of the day to move ahead of a three-way tie for second at 221, shared by Sylver Dollar, The Golden Shot and BFR Call Me Catniss.

Metallicity is by Metallic Cat out of Ms Silver Pitchfork, by Playgun. The 3-year-old mare was bred by Patrick and Laura Collins, who also bred and owned Thompson’s NCHA Futurity winners, Oh Cay Felix (2006) and Oh Miss Caroline (2011).

She is owned by the Collins’ son, Quinn of Washington, Texas, and his wife, Caroline, who is Oh Miss Caroline’s namesake.

Metallicity’s dam, Ms Silver Pitchfork, earned $12,000, and has produced Cotton Stakes champion and NCHA Derby finalist MC Simply Smooth. Ms Silver Pitchfork is a granddaughter of Sons Pitchfork, the mare Wayland Long rode to win the NCHA World Finals the year he was NCHA Non-Pro World Champion.

Thompson, 46, is an NCHA Hall of Fame Rider, with career earnings of $2.3 million. He has qualified for the NCHA Futurity finals six times, and won twice.

Friday’s new member of the 221 club, BFR Call Me Catniss, is bred and owned by Beechfork Ranch and ridden by Geoffrey Sheehan. The mare is by High Brow Cat out of SDP Finely Tuned.

Sylver Dollar and The Golden Shot marked their 221s on the first day of competition.

Sylver Dollar and The Golden Shot shared the lead with scores of 221 after the first day of Open competition at the Jerry’s Chevrolet NCHA Futurity, presented by Great American Insurance in Fort Worth, Texas on November 17.

Clay Johnson and Sylver Dollar hit the mark in the fourth set, while James Payne and The Golden Shot followed up in the sixth set as 101 contestants faced the judges.

Sheza Surefire Kitty, ridden by Steve Oehlhof and Rose Colored Rey, ridden by Beau Galyean, both had the day’s next highest score, a 219.

Johnson, a Hall of Fame Rider who won the 2013 NCHA Futurity on Dual Smart Kitty, rode Sylver Dollar for Lone Oak Performance Horses. The red roan stallion was bred by Linda Holmes by Metallic Cat out of Reymember Me, a Dual Rey mare that was a Non-Pro Futurity finalist with Holmes in 2008.

Reymember Me’s first and second dams, Nurse Elaine and High Brows Nurse, both carried Holmes to reserve championships in the Non-Pro NCHA Futurity. High Brows Nurse is a half-sister to $31 million sire Dual Rey.

Johnson, who also won the 2012 NCHA Super Stakes on KR Isadora Dual, has career earnings of $871,000.

The Golden Shot, ridden by Hall of Famer James Payne, is owned by Kathleen Moore. Payne and his wife, Nadine, bred the palomino mare by WR This Cats Smart out of Velvets Best Shot. Payne won the 2009 Chisholm Trail Classic on Velvets Best Shot.

The mare’s first money earner is Velvets Revolver, a full brother to The Golden Shot, which Nadine Payne rode to win the Non-Pro Super Stakes last spring. Velvets Revolver has won more than $158,000 in Open and Non-Pro competition.

Payne is a two-time NCHA Classic Challenge champion with career earnings of $2.3 million. His first Classic Challenge win was with Sarenadual in 2012. The Golden Shot’s owner, Kathleen Moore, had won the Amateur NCHA Derby with Sarenadual two years earlier.

Metallic Cat has been gaining momentum as a sire ever since his first foals entered show pens across the country in 2013. With only four performing foal crops and the National Cutting Horse Association Futurity just around the corner, his offspring record now exceeds $10 million following the Southern Cutting Futurity and Idaho Reined Cow Horse Association Futurity.

This is not the only milestone that he reached in quick fashion. “Denver” is by Equi-Stat Elite $73 Million Sire High Brow Cat and out of the Peptoboonsmal mare Chers Shadow. His $637,711 in earnings makes him the top performer on his dam’s produce record, and he is the highest-earning son of High Brow Cat. His first crop hit the By March 2014, his first crop had already earned more than $500,000. By that summer, he achieved Equi-Stat Elite $1 Million Sire status, making him only the second stallion accomplish the feat that early in his career.

Less than a year later, his offspring record reached $3 million. The checks kept rolling in for horses sired by the 11-year-old stallion, who was bred by The Roan Rangers, of Weatherford, Texas, and just five months later, he reached the $5 million marker. As of November, his record included 375 money-earners with average earnings of $26,757.

“It’s just amazing how fast he hit [$5 million], then to hit 10… We’re just blown away,” said Alvin Fults, who owns the stallion with his wife, Becky. “We had been watching, but I didn’t think he was going to go over 10 before the [National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA)] Futurity. I was like, ‘I just don’t see how it’s going to happen.’ Then all of a sudden, he started climbing. I was one of the doubters.”

Because he has reached the $10 million milestone, and with his foals taking home both the Open and Reserve championships at last year’s NCHA Futurity, the Fultses feel that Denver’s success as a sire has been validated.

“It means the world to us. He is our life out here and he is what we focus on,” Alvin said. “We felt like last year, after winning the Futurity, we could say that he was solidified. And maybe, at that point, he was, but this kind of puts the cherry on the pie for us. Reaching $10 million really solidified him as a sire.”

“It’s incredible,” Becky added. “I remember hitting $1 million in Vegas [at the Pacific Coast Cutting Horse Association Derby in 2014]. We’re so blessed to have him and to have people that took a chance on him in the beginning and bred to him. Where he is now, we’re eternally grateful. It’s a family affair here. We don’t take anything for granted, and we’re appreciative of each and every on of our mare owners that breed to him and are confident in him just like we are. It’s very humbling.”

Metallic Rebel is having a year for the books. He just keeps racking up titles, and he added another championship to his résumé when he and Equi-Stat Elite $2 Million Rider claimed the Stakes Open Championship at the Pacific Coast Cutting Horse Association (PCCHA)/Holy Cow Performance Horses Futurity.

The title was worth $9,000, which brings Metallic Rebel (Metallic Cat x Sweet Abra x Abrakadabracre) to lifetime earnings of more than $175,000. This was the duo’s fourth championship of 2016 so far. Their other wins include the 4-Year-Old Open Championship at The Ike Derby and Classic, the PCCHA Core Balance Derby Open Championship and the 4-Year-Old Open title at the West Texas Futurity.

The stallion, who was bred by Alvin and Becky Fults and is owned by Thomas Guinn, is currently sitting third in the National Cutting Horse Association Open Horse of the Year standings. He had 410 points toward the title when he arrived in Las Vegas.

Beau Galyean is on fire at the West Texas Futurity in Amarillo, Texas. On Sunday, he won the 4-year-old Open with Metallic Rebel, and yesterday he picked up another championship, this time on Magic Metallic.

During their 5/6-Year-Old finals run, Magic Metallic (Metallic Cat x Sweet Abra x Abrakadabracre) and Galyean, an Equi-Stat Elite $2 Million Rider, marked a 228 to claim the title and $9,300. This is the first major victory for the Alvin and Becky-Fults’ homebred mare, who has already amassed more than $100,000 in her career. Earlier this year, she placed well at The Ike Derby and Classic, the Bonanza and the Arbuckle Mountain Futurity under Galyean’s tutelage.

Magic Metallic is a full-sister to Metallic Rebel, and they are both in the top three money-earners on Sweet Abra’s produce record.

The first final at the West Texas Futurity wrapped up last night, and it was Metallic Rebel that took top honors in the 4-Year-Old Open. With Equi-Stat Elite $2 Million Rider Beau Galyean in the saddle, Thomas Guinn’s red roan stallion marked a 229 to claim his third championship of the year.

The win was worth $14,500, boosting Metallic Rebel’s (Metallic Cat x Sweet Abra x Abrakadabracre) Equi-Stat record to more than $167,000. In February, he won the 4-Year-Old Open at The Ike Derby and Classic, then was victorious again in June at the Pacific Coast Cutting Horse Association Core Balance Derby and Classic/Challenge, where he and Galyean picked up the Derby Open title and a $25,000 check for the Metallic Cat Incentive.16

Quater Horse News
The schedule was packed on Saturday, June 18, at the Pacific Coast Cutting Horse Association (PCCHA) Core Balance Derby and Classic/Challenge, and the competition was tough. Metallic Rebel bested a field of 20 horses with Equi-Stat Elite $2 Million Rider Beau Galyean in the saddle. Their score of 225.5 was worth a check for $18,000.

The Alvin and Becky Fults-bred stallion (Metallic Cat x Sweet Abra x Abrakadabracre), who is owned by Thomas Guinn, of Philadelphia, Mississippi, surpassed $100,000 with this win. The duo had not been able to clinch a victory since they topped the Derby Open at The Ike Derby and Classic in February, so Galyean was excited about their success in Las Vegas.

“We were able to put it all together today, and that’s been really tough to do with this horse,” Galyean said after his run.

With Metallic Cat’s second full foal crop now showing as four year old’s, we could not be more enthusiastic about the future of our young stallion. Metallic Cat’s latest compliments are, Super Stakes Top Sire, with Championship runs in the Open Classic Challenge, Open Classic Challenge John Deere, and the Derby Unlimited Am followed by a Reserve Championship in the Open Classic Challenge John Deere. A few of his 2015 stats are, Leading 3, 4 and 5 years old Cutting Sire and Top Junior Cutting Sire. With sire earnings of $7,882,790 giving him an average of $3,503,462 per year. We are humbly grateful to own this guy we affectionately call Denver.

Metallic Cat made his debut on the Equi- Stat Junior Stallion Statistics Cutting chart at No.16 following the 2013 season. He jumped from No. 3 last year to the top spot after his offspring won more than $6 million in cutting pens across the country. The 2005 stallion (High Brow Cat x Chers Shadow

x Peptoboonsmal) was bred by The Roan Rangers, of Weatherford, Texas, and boasts 239 money-earning cutters with average earnings of $25,355.

At the top of Metallic Cat’s offspring list is Meteles Cat, who has a lifetime bank-
roll of $307,724. Meteles Cat was bred by Rock Hedlund, of Acampo, California,
and is owned by his son Cody Hedlund, of Weatherford, Texas. The father-and-son team showed Meteles Cat to 2015 earnings of $164,511. Meteles Cat’s long list of wins includes the Breeder’s Invitational 5/6-Year- Old Non-Pro and the Western Bloodstock/ National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Showdown In Cowtown Non-Pro.

Two more of Metallic Cat’s top offspring – Purple Reyn and Stevie Rey Von – were bred by Brandon Dufurrena, of Gainesville, Texas. Dufurrena rode Purple Reyn to the 2015 NCHA Non-Pro Horse of the Year title, while his father, Ed Dufurrena, rode Stevie Rey Von to the 2015 NCHA Futurity Open Championship.

Metallic Cat, who is owned by Alvin and Becky Fults, of Amarillo, Texas, currently sits at the top of the reined cow horse junior stallion chart, as well. He has total offspring earnings in excess of $7.25 million.

Metallic Cat is a household name in the cutting industry, and his influence is con- tinuing in the reined cow horse pen. Metallic Cat’s first foals hit the show pen in 2013, and by the end of 2014, he was third on the Equi- Stat Junior Stallion Statistics Reined Cow Horse chart. By the end of 2015, he climbed to the top of that list.

The 2005 stallion (High Brow Cat x Chers Shadow x Peptoboonsmal), bred by The Roan Rangers, of Weatherford, Texas, and owned by Alvin and Becky Fults, of Amarillo, Texas, was ridden by Equi-Stat Elite $2 Million Rider Beau Galyean to cutting earnings of $637,711 in less than a year of competition.

The 2008 National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Futurity Open Champion had a total of 22 reined cow horse money-earners to his credit in 2015, which has more than doubled from the 2014 sea- son. His reined cow horse performers have won a total of $344,130 for average earnings of $15,642.

Mosses Man was bred by Linda Holmes out of Nurse Moss, a full sister to $29 million sire Dual Rey.
Kory Pounds rode the gelding to the NCHA Futurity semi-finals, and Quirk was a Non-Pro finalist with him at the Bonanza this spring.

Quirk is a two-time NCHA Super Stakes Non-Pro finalist, riding A Cat Be Nimble in 2011 and Boudin Cat in 2014.

Equi-Stat Elite $1 Million Rider Morgan Cromer was ecstatic when she qualified for the Classic Open finals at the Lucas Oil National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Super Stakes, held Saturday, April 2, in Fort Worth, Texas, at the Will Rogers Coliseum. Three of the four horses she entered had made it back for the final round.

“It was the coolest thing ever. I was so happy to have more than one shot! Usually you get in the finals and you have one that you put all the thought into,” Cromer, of Templeton, California, said.

Cromer’s first horse, Maid Of Metal, came out of the second hole in the first bunch to mark a 223. The score held through 23 other runs to keep the lead. Then, it was CR Tuff Lucy, who sold for $600,000 in the inaugural Center Ranch Production Sale, and Equi-Stat Elite $3 Million Rider John Mitchell’s turn in the pen. They put in a performance that had the crowd cheering in the stands, and everyone held their breath as the scoreboard lit up. It was a 222.5.

The final two runs did not top Cromer’s 223, and at the end of the night, Cromer had achieved her first major win. She and Maid Of Metal (Metallic Cat x Pretty Smart Kitty x Smart Lil Ricochet), who was bred by Beau Galyean and named by Ashley Galyean, walked away with the Championship and $64,816 for owner Judy Siebel, of Ross, California. That sum pushed Maid Of Metal’s lifetime earnings to $108,351.

Hall of Famer Morgan Cromer and Maid Of Metal, by Metallic Cat, marked a 223 as the second contestant and held on for the win in the Lucas Oil NCHA Super Stakes Classic finals in Fort Worth Saturday. John Mitchell, third-to-last rider on CR Tuff Lucy, took the reserve title with a 222.5.

The win was the first for Cromer, 33, in historic Will Rogers Coliseum.

Maid Of Metal was bred by Beau and Ashley Galyean, and is owned by Judy Siebel of Ross, California. She is out of Pretty Smart Kitty, a Smart Lil Ricochet mare whose show career was reportedly curtailed by EPM. Pretty Smart Kitty is a granddaughter of Doc’s Kitty, the mare that Shorty Freeman showed to win the NCHA Derby and place second in the NCHA Futurity.

Cromer picked Maid Of Metal as a yearling, and Kate Neubert showed her as a semi-finalist at the 2014 NCHA Futurity. Cromer took reserve championships on the mare at last year’s Pacific Coast Winter Round-up and the Idaho Derby. She was a Pacific Coast Winter Round-up finalist again a few weeks before the Super Stakes Classic.

The Cromer/Siebel team have previously had success with Duals Dancer, a $100,000 earner that was a finalist in the NCHA Super Stakes and a dozen other major events.

Maid Of Metal earned an estimated $64,800 in the Super Stakes Classic. That eclipses Cromer’s previous top check in Will Rogers Coliseum of $47,277 with TF High Chex CD as an NCHA Futurity Finalist. She also rode TF High Chex CD and Little Dirty Deeds in tonight’s Super Stakes Classic.

Cromer’s previous highest finish in Will Rogers Coliseum was a fourth in the Western Bloodstock NCHA Winter Showdown in 2015 on Little Dirty Deeds.

Wes Ashlock was the first rider to the herd on Metallics Star in the John Deere Division Limited Open finals of the Lucas Oil NCHA Super Stakes Classic in Fort Worth Friday, and he laid down a winning 221-point run.

Todd Gann took the reserve championship with a 218.5 on Hevvy Metal. The top two horses are both by Metallic Cat.

Owned by John and Jana Thacker of Abilene, Texas, Metallics Star was a $17,500 purchase as a yearling at the 2012 Western Bloodstock NCHA Summer Sale. He was bred by GS Cutting Horses out of Swingin Star Lady, a mare that Dean Sanders rode to win the Non-Pro Augusta Futurity and Steamboat Springs Derby in 1999. That mare has also produced $200,000 earnerr Swingin Star Pepto.

Metallics Star went over $50,000 in career earnings with his John Deere Division win. He has previous Limited Open championships with Ashlock at last year’s Abilene Spectacular and West Texas Derby.

Ashlock rode another horse for the Thackers, Amafoxy Cat, when he won his first championship in Will Rogers Coliseum, the John Deere Division of the Super Stakes Classic in 2014.

Morgan Cromer marked 217 on Maid Of Metal Sunday in the second round of the 2016 Lucas Oil NCHA Super Stakes Classic in Fort Worth to top the cumulative scores at 439.

Bred by Beau and Ashley Galyean, and owned by Judy Siebel of Ross, California, Maid Of Metal is a 5-year-old mare by Metallic Cat out of Pretty Smart Kitty. Pretty Smart Kitty is a direct descendant of Doc’s Kitty, the 1970 NCHA Derby champion with Shorty Freeman.

Maid Of Metal was reserve champion at the Idaho Derby and the Pacific Coast Winter Roundup with Cromer, and has earned more than $44,000.

Cat Sheree, by High Brow CD, ridden by Sean Flynn for Plantation Farms, posted back-to-back 219s for the second high cumulative score of 438.

Dont Stopp Believin, last year’s Super Stakes co-champion, posted Sunday’s high score of 220 and will advance to the finals with a cumulative score of 434.5. The Dual Rey x Dont Look Twice 5-year-old is owned by Phil and Mary Ann Rapp, and ridden by Phil.

Twenty-nine horses marked 434 or higher to advance to the finals, scheduled for Saturday, April 2.

Cody HedlundCody Hedlund and Meteles Cat have won every 5/6-Year-Old Non-Pro finals they have entered in 2016 – and their showing at The Cattlemen’s Derby and Classic was no different. The duo marked a 221 to win the Classic Non-Pro, a title that came with $7,500.

“It’s unbelievable. I can’t say anything. There’s no words for it. There’s so much luck involved; there’s just so many factors,” said Hedlund, of Lipan, Texas, on winning three championships this year.

Meteles Cat (Metallic Cat x Teles Lies x Lenas Telesis) was bred by Hedlund’s father, Rock Hedlund. He has banked earnings of $357,925. Of that total, $32,820 was earned in 2016 from non-pro championships at The Ike Derby and Classic, the Bonanza Cutting and now The Cattlemen’s. Hedlund’s own record now stands at more than $680,000. He and Meteles Cat will next try their hand at winning a championship at the National Cutting Horse Association Super Stakes.

The action in West Monroe, Louisiana, continued on Thursday, Feb. 4, with the 5/6-Year-Old Non-Pro finals. Meteles Cat (Metallic Cat x Teles Lies x Lenas Telesis) and Cody Hedlund were victorious over a field of seven horses when they marked an impressive 225 to claim the Championship and $12,245.

This was Meteles Cat’s second title at The Ike Derby and Classic. He carried Hedlund’s father, Rock Hedlund, to the 5/6-Year-Old Open Reserve Championship on Saturday, Jan. 30. The 6-year-old stallion is the highest earner by Metallic Cat (High Brow Cat x Chers Shadow x Peptoboonsmal), with an Equi-Stat record of nearly $340,000.

Meteles Cat has been quite successful with Hedlund in the saddle since their first appearance in the show pen at the 2013 National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Futurity. The 2015 season was a memorable one, with championships won at the NCHA/Western Bloodstock Showdown In Cowtown and the Breeder’s Invitational in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

“Alvin” has proven to be very special to the Hedlunds and they have big expectations for his future in the arena, as well as the breeding shed.

“My mom and dad raised him, my dad trained him, and my dad and I have shown him everywhere we’ve gone,” Hedlund said. “He’s just a very exceptional horse.”

As the 2016 show season gets in full swing, talented 4-year-olds are making a name for themselves at The Ike Derby and Classic in West Monroe, Louisiana. Metallic Rebel and Beau Galyean left the event with the 4-Year-Old Open Championship notched onto their résumés.

Metallic Rebel (Metallic Cat x Sweet Abra x Abrakadabracre), bred by Alvin and Becky Fults, of Amarillo, Texas, wowed the judges to the tune of a 225. In exchange for their intense run, the stallion and Galyean took home a hefty $21,751 paycheck.

Thomas Guinn, of Philadelphia, Mississippi, owns Metallic Rebel, who began his career with a trip to the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Futurity Open semifinals. The stallion went on to finish third in the 4-Year-Old Open at January’s Abilene Spectacular, where he garnered $17,731.

Galyean, an Equi-Stat Elite $2 Million Rider from Fort Worth, Texas, advanced three horses to the 4-Year-Old Open finals. He finished fifth with a 218.5 aboard Chrome Catillac (Metallic Cat x Tootsie Rey x Dual Rey), who also won the Gelding and Novice Horse classes. His other horse, Catish (High Brow Cat x Peppys Stylish Lena x Docs Stylish Oak), finished in a tie for 13th after marking a 214.5. Altogether, the rider amassed $44,685.

For weeks, cutters in Fort Worth, Texas, have been anticipating this night. The National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Futurity has been building to its Dec. 12 pinnacle – the Futurity Open finals. With an already well-established fan base, Stevie Rey Von commanded attention and won the Open title.

Stevie Rey Von (Metallic Cat x Miss Ella Rey x Dual Rey) carried Equi-Stat Elite $1 Million Rider Ed Dufurrena, of Gainesville, Texas, to the Futurity Open Championship when he marked a 225 from the fifth draw in the first of two sets in the 24-horse finals. Along with bragging rights, the stallion, bred by Dufurrena’s son, Brandon Dufurrena, garnered a $200,000 paycheck.

“We had a game plan. We had four cows that we thought were an option, and we were able to identify them and find them and get them cut clean,” Dufurrena said, thanking everyone who helped him with his victory. “Once I was able to do that, I just turned it over to that horse.”

While the NCHA Futurity is the first event at which Stevie Rey Von has performed, this was not his first win. Earlier in the week, Dufurrena’s daughter, Rieta Dufurrena, piloted the 3-year-old stallion to a 220 and the Futurity Limited Non-Pro Championship, worth a $9,145 payday. The duo also finished 1.5 points short of a Non-Pro finals berth.

Twenty-one sons and daughters of 2008 NCHA Futurity Champion Metallic Cat will go to the herd Thursday, November 19, in the first day of Open competition at the 2015 NCHA Futurity. Ninety-nine horses will show in seven sets on Thursday.

Other well represented sires on the first day include Smooth As Cat with 12, Dual Rey with 10, High Brow Cat with 8 and One Time Pepto with 6.

Sweet Little CD, the dam of 2006 NCHA Futurity Champion High Brow CD, will be represented by two three-quarter siblings to that horse, Smooth Lil CD 012 and Metallic Cat CD 012, in the first and second sets, respectively.

NCHA Derby Champion Nu I Wood, the dam of earners of more than $950,000, including Special Nu Baby, will be represented by Special Nu Metallica, a Metallic Cat mare owned by Jamie Hill and ridden by Matt Gaines in the sixth set. Gaines has ridden Special Nu Baby to the lead in the 2015 NCHA World standings, earning a record-breaking $123,034 during the regular point year, pending the results of the Mercuria NCHA World Finals.

Other high-powered dams with offspring in Thursday’s go-round include:

Million-dollar producer One Time Soon with Heavy Metal Time (by Metallic Cat) in the second set under Beau Galyean

Ms Peppy Doc, a $497,000 producer and dam of two-time World Champion Ms Peppy Cat, with Bacardi Time (One Time Pepto) in the third set

Playboys Mom, an $868,000 producer with RR Once A Playboy (One Time Pepto) in the seventh set

Horse of the Year and $717,000 producer Little Pepto Gal with Lil Pepto Valentine (Dual Rey) in the fifth set

Stylish Bet, who marked 224.5 for second high score in the rich Western Bloodstock Showdown in Cowtown go-round, with Salsa Style (Smooth As A Cat), ridden by Lindy Burch for Oxbow Ranch in the seventh set

NCHA Futurity Reserve Champion and $400,000 producer Twice As Reycy with Under The Reydar (Halreycious) in the fourth set

$784,000 producer Playgiarism with Not Too Shiny RG (Metallic Cat) in the third set

While Metallic Cat has already become a household name in the cutting horse industry, the 10-year-old stallion (High Brow Cat x Chers Shadow x Peptoboonsmal) is starting to make a name for himself among reined cow horse enthusiasts, as well. It is his offspring’s success in that circle that has pushed him to Equi-Stat Elite $5 Million Sire status less than six months after he reached the $3 million milestone.

At this year’s National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity, four Metallic Cat offspring – Cats Picasso, Shinen Metallic Cat, SJR Metallic Star and Stylish Metallic – took home checks totaling $96,844 from Reno, Nevada. That sum, combined with the stallion’s $4.9 million Equi-Stat sire record prior to the event, brings his total progeny earnings in the database to $5,029,003 as of early October.

Metallic Cat, owned by Alvin and Becky Fults, of Amarillo, Texas, won the 2008 National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Futurity Open and amassed $637,710 in less than 12 months of showing, and he has climbed the ranks as a successful sire with the same speed and momentum. With only his third foal crop coming of performance age this futurity season, the stallion has undoubtedly proven his prepotency in the breeding shed.

Among the 54 American Quarter Horse Association-registered foals in Metallic Cat’s first foal crop, 62 percent (34 foals) have posted money to Equi-Stat. That 2010 crop’s total earnings exceed $1.9 million, for an average of $57,346 among performers. Overall, nearly 200 Metallic Cat offspring have earned money in the Western performance horse industry, with many of his 3-year-old foals remaining unshown until this year’s NCHA Futurity, scheduled for Nov. 19-Dec. 12 in Fort Worth, Texas.

Big Congratulations are in order for Purple Reyn, in hitting the $200,000 mark. This incredible mare is owned and shown by Brandon Dufurrena, this duo took 3rd place last week at the All American Congress in the Non Pro Mercuria, bring her LTE to $203,349. Congratulations again Brandon, that is one special mare you are riding and we wish you continued success in the show pen‪.

We could not more excited to announce that we have 3 Metallic Cat’s heading into the Open Finals at the Snaffle Bit Futurity. In Composite order, Cats Picasso (Metallic Cat x Playboys Vixen) shown by John Swales, owned by Robbie McKay, Shinen Metallic Cat (Metallic Cat x Winenshineme) shown by Todd Crawford, owned by Russ Mothershead and SJR Metallic Star (Metallic Cat x Starlights Rhonda) shown by Phillp Rolls, owned by Billie Jo Ralls / The Trust. Good Luck to all . . . . . Can’t wait to fly in and watch the finals in person!

Congratulations to Metallic Masterpiece on his win tonight in the AQHA Ranch Heritage Challenge in Reno. Metallic Masterpiece was shown by Kyle Trahern and owned by Silver Spur Ranches. This Duo is also advancing to the Finals of the Open Hackamore in Reno. Good Luck in the Finals Kyle! ‪

Cody Hedlund won the Non-Pro Showdown in Cowtown on Meteles Cat. Hart Photography.

It was a big win in more ways than one, for Cody Hedlund and Meteles Cat on Monday night, in the Non-Pro division of the inaugural Western Bloodstock NCHA Showdown in Cowtown. The 227-point score was Hedlund’s highest earned in a limited age event, and the winner’s purse of $35,000 hit a home run out of Will Rogers Coliseum.

“That’s a huge check with a huge number on it,” said Hedlund, who collected $16,417 for his Non-Pro win in the 2015 Breeders Invitational. “This (Showdown in Cowtown) is going to be a big deal and I hope they continue it.”

Steven Feiner and Lil Rattler placed second with 222 points to earn $22,000, while Kylie Rice and Master Mate scored 219 points for third and $20,000.

The Showdown in Cowtown was a concept suggested to NCHA by Western Bloodstock Ltd.’s Jeremy Barwick, an innovator in cutting horse marketing and sales.

Five-year-old Meteles Cat, by Metallic Cat, is now the earner of more than $220,000. In addition to his Breeders Invitational win, he also placed as non-pro reserve champion in the 2014 Breeders Invitational and NCHA Super Stakes, and won the PCCHA non-pro championship.

Six-year-old Lil Rattler, by Dual Rey out of 2005 NCHA Futurity champion Highbrow Supercat, also surpassed all of her previous non-pro earnings with her Showdown cache of $22,000. The lifetime earner of nearly $260,000, Lil Rattler’s biggest previous share of a purse came as fourth-placed open finalist in the 2013 NCHA Super Stakes, under Wesley Galyean.

“I was getting kind of nervous and I don’t usually get too nervous,” said Cody Hedlund, who drew last to work in the 12-horse field of the Non-Pro Showdown in Cowtown finals, where Feiner and Lil Rattler drew next-to-last. “With Steven having that run right before me, I wanted to make sure I had an aggressive run and they (judges) knew I was here.

“My help did an awesome job of keeping me calm and finding my cows.”

Meteles Cat was bred and trained by Hedlund’s father, Rock, who qualified for this week’s NCHA Derby Open Semi-Finals with 434 points on Twice As Smoothe. Meteles Cat is also a half-brother, out of Teles Lies, to Teles Bout This Cat LTE $223,509, by WR This Cats Smart.

Adan Banuelos marked 226 on Pedel To The Metall to win the inaugural Western Bloodstock NCHA Showdown in Cowtown

It was Pedel To The Metall, with Adan Banuelos aboard, for a 226-point win in the 12-horse finals of the Western Bloodstock NCHA Showdown in Cowtown on Sunday, July 12, during the NCHA Summer Cutting Spectacular. The win was worth $60,000 to the 4-year-old Metallic Cat son’s owner, Faith Mountain Ranch, Houston, Tex.

Reyzin, shown by Phil Rapp for Gale Force Quarter Horses, placed second with 223 points, and Junie Wood, with John Mitchell for Slate River Ranch, was third with 221.5 points. Six-year-old Reyzin, by High Brow CD, earned $39,500; five-year-old Junie Wood, by Nitas Wood, earned $26,000.

“He’s a real strong horse and has an insane amount of natural draw to him,” said Banuelos, who qualified for the finals with 222 points in the 59-horse go-round, held at Silverado Arena in Weatherford, Tex., and drew fourth to ride in the finals.

“I didn’t plan on coming to cut with that much time on the last cow,” Banuelos added. “But I saw an opportunity and went for it without worrying about the clock. I didn’t know the cow. I just walked out with it and when I put my hand down, there was 40 seconds left on the clock.”

Watch the video.

Pedel To The Metall was bred by Gail Holmes’ Double Dove Ranch out of the Dual Rey daughter Twice As Reycy, reserve champion of the 2003 NCHA Futurity and third in the 2004 NCHA Derby. He is a three-quarter brother to Reycy Moon, the earner of $209,363, sired by Cats Moonshine.

Wes Ashlock, Abilene, Tex., trained Pedel To The Metall as a two-year-old, then Holmes sent the colt to Banuelos in January 2014, in preparation for limited age event competition. Banuelos and Pedel To The Metall qualified for the NCHA Futurity Semi-Finals, as well as for six major finals in 2015.

“This horse has been ready to offer something like this, and we haven’t been able to get anything done,” said Banuelos. “But we made up for it all tonight.”

Pedel To The Metall is entered for this year’s NCHA Derby, as a condition of purchase for a slot in the Showdown in Cowtown,
The win was worth $60,000 to the 4-year-old Metallic Cat son’s owner, Faith Mountain Ranch, Houston, Tex. (the 2014 NCHA Derby winner’s payout during the Summer Spectacular was $35,457).

Announcing the 2015 Australian NCHA Futurity Open Champion, Heavy Metal (Metallic Cat x Reyk), shown by Todd Graham owned by Jodie Mearns and Chris Ware. This was Metallic Cat’s first limited foal crop in Australia, for us to watch four of our boys offspring in the Open Finals. What an amazing night to have Todd Graham lay down the Championship run on Heavy Metal was over the top! We would not have missed it for the world.

We had so much fun last night here at the PCCHA Core Balance Derby . . . . . In the Derby Open Finals, Cowcat 511 marked a 221.5, was not only Reserve Champion, he was the Metallic Cat Incentive Champion, shown by Wes Galyean and owned by SMF Cutting Horses. Splitting 3rd with a 220 we had Metallic Little Cat with Clay Johnson and Ruby Shadow Cat with Jaime Snider. Followed by Money Making Rose, Pedal To The Medal, Pedaltothemedal, Mootalic Cat, Metallic Pepto and Tallic Cat. In the Open Classic Challenge Finals we had Metalic Al, Metales Cat and Sannman. These Metallic Cats earned $106,372 in sire earnings last night, bringing Metallic Cat’s Sire Earnings to over $4,000,000.

We are elated to announce, that for two years running Metallic Cat is the Top Sire of the Breeders Invitational. With 4 Champions, 5 Reserve Champions and 41 finalists bring home checks totaling $270,237.13, bringing Metallic Cat’s, sire earnings to $3,874,548. Congratulations to all our money earners, we are so proud of each and everyone of you.

The Breeder’s Invitational (BI) Classic/Challenge Non-Pro finals, held Saturday, May 16, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, featured 21 talented duos, including Champions Cody Hedlund and Meteles Cat. As the second pair in the draw, they marked a 225 to earn the win.

This championship marks the second successful year at the BI for Hedlund, of Acampo, California, and Meteles Cat (Metallic Cat x Teles Lies x Lenas Telesis), bred by Hedlund’s father, Rock Hedlund. In 2014, the duo finished as Derby Non-Pro Reserve Champions.

“That was probably one of the best runs I have had on him,” Hedlund said of his Classic/Challenge Non-Pro finals performance. “He’s just so smart about a cow and never gives up his quickness.”

Hedlund and Meteles Cat earned a check worth $16,417. Hedlund now boasts an Equi-Stat record of $545,910, while his 5-year-old stallion’s lifetime earnings total more than $170,000, according to Equi-Stat.

Metallic Cat’s reputation as a sire is growing by leaps and bounds, right alongside his offspring’s earnings. At the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Super Stakes, which took place March 26-April 18 in Fort Worth, Texas, the stallion’s get surpassed the $3 million mark in a big way. Forty-three horses earned paychecks totaling $553,926, taking Metallic Cat’s Equi-Stat offspring record to $3,534,526.

Metallic Cat’s 2015 NCHA Super Stakes performers were led by Pedaltothemedal (out of Fairlea Magnolia Gal x Colonel Pic). Pedaltothemedal won the Gelding Open Championship and finished 11th in the Open finals under trainer Beau Galyean, whose wife, Ashley Galyean, piloted the horse to the Gelding Non-Pro Championship and the Non-Pro Reserve Championship. Pedaltothemedal walked away with total show earnings of $66,173.

Also at the NCHA Super Stakes, Lindy Burch rode Oxbox Ranch’s Adelle (out of Play Peek A Boon x Freckles Playboy) to a third-place finish in the NCHA Super Stakes Open, banking $38,747 between the semifinals and finals. DB Little Cat (out of Mates Little Cokette x Smart Mate) and Sheridan Clark were second in the Limited Non-Pro and fourth in the Non-Pro, earning $29,329. Metallic Manziel (out of Smart Look N Pepto x Peptoboonsmal) and Tag Rice were Reserve Champions in the Gelding Open and 16th in the Open, banking $29,261.

In all, 20 horses sired by Metallic Cat earned more than $10,000 each at the NCHA Super Stakes. The red roan stallion finished as the show’s leading sire, according to the NCHA.

Owned by Alvin and Becky Fults, of Amarillo, Texas, Metallic Cat’s first foals competed in 2014. Halfway through the season, “Denver” became only the second cutting stallion in history – One Time Pepto was the first – to top $1 million in offspring earnings with his first crop of performers. By the end of 2014, Metallic Cat had surpassed the $2 million mark, with 105 money-earners accumulating $2,027,976. Less than five months later, he’s added another $1.5 million to that total, with 144 money-earners averaging $24,545.

It’s almost impossible to believe, but 10-year-old cutting horse sire Metallic Cat has just passed the $3 million mark in offspring earnings in an astonishingly short time of nine months.

In June of last year, his offspring collectively earned $1 million in the cutting pen. Then, six months later, at the conclusion of the 2014 NCHA Futurity, his offspring totals jumped to $2 million. And 90 days later, his progeny reached the $3 million mark, officially at $3,092,113. All three milestones were NCHA records, making Metallic Cat the fastest sire to do so in NCHA history.

Metallic Cat was also the talk of the 2014 NCHA Futurity. He had 45 money earners out of 80 offspring entered in the event, giving him an average of $14,682. Metallic Cat also led the list of most offspring entered in the Futurity, which was only his second foal crop. Metallic Cat jumped to the top of the 2014 NCHA Futurity sire list when his 3-year-old offspring posted total earnings of $660,690. He led other sires High Brow Cat, Dual Rey and Smooth As A Cat, which came in second, third and fourth, respectively.

The impressive red roan stallion, sired by High Brow Cat and out of Chers Shadow by Peptoboonsmal, is owned by Alvin and Becky Fults of Amarillo, Texas. He was trained and shown by Beau Galyean to the 2008 NCHA Futurity Open title and currently is NCHA’s second highest money earning stallion, with $637,771 to his name. Entered in 12 events during his show career, he made the finals all 12 times and never lost a cow. He was retired to stud at the end of his 4-year-old year. He was also the 2009 NCHA Horse of the Year and is in the NCHA Hall of Fame.

Metallic Cat got a huge vote of confidence with another record at the NCHA Futurity. One of his 2-year-olds, an eye-catching chestnut colt by the name of Eight Mile, topped the sale at $400,000, while another, Moses Man, a sorrel colt, was third highest seller at $210,000.

Metallic Cat’s ability to sire money earners is not limited to cutting. In 2014, he had the top sire average for 3-year-olds in all divisions in the National Reined Cow Horse Association. He was also the top sire average in the category of all ages, all divisions of the NRCHA. What’s more, Metallic Cat was the top sire of the NRCHA Futurity sale with an average of $50,100.

The story of the Fults’ coming to own Metallic Cat is nearly as amazing as his show and sire records. Alvin didn’t buy him until August of his 3-year-old year. That was just three months before he first walked to the herd at the NCHA Futurity. At the time he was owned by Beau and Ashley Galyean, Alvin’s resident trainer, who had purchased him as a started 2-year-old, and worked him for a year on the Fults’ place in the Panhandle. Beau used his truck as collateral to buy the up and coming stallion in the beginning and when the majority of the money came due, he sold the horse to Alvin to cover the note.

“I bought the horse for myself,” Alvin related. “He was going to be my Non Pro horse at the Futurity. We decided to let Beau show him in the Open and hoped he would make it to the semifinals.”

When Metallic Cat qualified for the semi’s, Alvin withdrew from Non Pro competition. The stallion went on to electrify the crowd with a winning run of 222. “The louder the crowd got, the lower the horse went,” Alvin said.

“You know, when we showed Metallic Cat at the pre works, people told me to put him with an experienced trainer for the Futurity. Beau had just turned in his Non Pro card, and they thought maybe he didn’t have the experience to handle a horse like Metallic Cat. Well, I had watched Beau and that stallion for a year before I bought him and I knew I had the right rider with the right horse.”

Today, Metallic Cat enjoys the life of a well cared for stallion. He’s quietly ridden three days a week around the ranch with a loose rein and no spurs.

“I’ll ride him to check cattle or into the wheat fields,” Alvin revealed. “Sometimes I’ll turnback on him when we’re working horses. There will never be any pressure on him again. He’s earned his easy life.”

When not in his stall, Metallic Cat enjoys a large turnout with full view of several mares. Typical of a young stallion, he calls out and prances and generally draws attention to himself, the way Alvin wants it to be.

“Becky and I feel blessed to own a horse like Metallic Cat,” he said. “Besides owning the one of the next generation of great performance horse sires, his show and performance records allow us to give back to the industry by donating breedings to Horsemen For Christ and the NCHA Youth Cuttings and to the Colorado State University and Texas A&M auction and research programs. He’s a special horse and we enjoy every moment owning him.”

Metallic Cat was the Top Sire of the 2015 NCHA Super Stakes earning $553,926 in sire earnings during the show. His numbers placed him $145,938 over the second highest money earning sire, bringing Metallic Cat’s total sire earnings to $3,600,311. Yes we’re in shock and total amazement at the success Denver’s babies are having in the show pen! We once again would like to thank all the mare owners for believing in Metallic Cat and all the trainers for doing what they do best, without you none of this would be possible. We cannot wait to see what the future might hold for our guy. Truly Blessed!

Greg Wright and Stars Freckled Girl, by Metallic Cat, scored 217 points, as the next-to-last entry in the 16-horse John Deere Division of the Lucas Oil NCHA Super Stakes Open Finals, to claim the championship for owners Lincoln and Bonnie Clifton, Oklahoma City, Okla.

Wes Ashlock, aboard Gone Are The Times, by One Time Pepto, and Fons De Barbanson on Wild Starz, by Wilds My Thing, tied with the second-highest score of 216 points. Gone Are The Times and Wild Starz are owned by John and Jana Thacker and Nachos QHs, respectively.

Shut out by a renegade cow earlier in the Finals on High On Smarts, also owned by the Cliftons, Wright put his trust in his helpers and Stars Freckled Girl for the eleventh hour win, his first in Will Rogers Coliseum.

“We bought her from Phil Hanson last July, after the Derby,” said Wright. “They did a fabulous job with her. She was cutting when we bought her and we’ve just tried to keep her cutting.”

Shown by both Wright and Lincoln in the 2014 NCHA Futurity, Stars Freckled Cat placed with Lincoln in the Non-Pro Finals, as well as the Non-Pro Limited Finals; placed fifth with Wright in the Open Limited Finals; and earned $15,000 as an Open Semi-Finalist.

“I was a golfer and a friend introduced me to cutting horses,” said Clifton, a trucking company owner with ties to the oil industry. “My handicaps went from a 10 back to a 15, and the next thing I knew, I had about twenty head of horses and babies.”

Stars Freckled Girl, bred by Phil and Leah Hanson, is by Metallic Cat out of Badge To The Bone, a Freckles Playboy daughter with unique connections to the NCHA Futurity and the NCHA World Championships.

Badge To The Bone is out of Badge Of Courage, by Peppy San Badger. Bred by S.J. Agnew out of the Doc Bar daughter Tenino Fair, Badge of Courage was a full sister to Little Tenina $385,822, and three-quarter sister to Tenino San $144,658. Little Tenina was champion of the 1991 NCHA Futurity and 1992 NCHA Derby under Greg Welch, and Tenino San won the 1982 NCHA World Championship, also under Welch.

Wright began his career in California as a reined cowhorse trainer, before he switched to cutting. In 1992, he was reserve champion of the PCCHA Futurity aboard Lakotah Warrior, then won the championship in 1993 aboard Whisper Ofa Playgirl. After that, he struggled to stay competitive.

“I got strung out on dope – meth and crack,” said Wright, matter-of-factly. “But Shannon Hall and his family had a big play in getting me straight. After I went to rehab, I went to work for Shannon for two and a half years, and Shannon got me the job working for Linc.”

Lincoln Clifton is slated to show Stars Freckled Girl in the third set of Lucas Oil Super Stakes Non-Pro first go-round competition on Tuesday, April 14.

The Top 10 sellers averaged $28,000, representing a 23 percent increase over the sale’s 2014 Top 10 sellers, and the Top 20 sellers averaged $22,150, a 22 percent increase over 2014.

The sale’s net average of $11,341 on 76 horses sold represents a seven percent increase over 2014 sale, figures, while the percentage sold remained at 73 percent, from 104 lots, with a gross average of $14,725.

Purrfect Playgirl was the high-selling 4-year-old at $25,500. The High Brow Cat daughter, in training with Bill Riddle, was consigned by Glenn Drake, Napa, Calif., and sold to Juan Carlos Rengel Leon, Valencia, Venezuela.

Smart Metallic RG, at $22,000, was the high-selling stallion. The 4-year-old Metallic Cat son, in training with T.J. Good, was consigned by Mariposa Farms and purchased by Billy Gene Crenshaw, Kountze, Tex.

The NCHA Summer Spectacular Sale, August 1 at Will Rogers Equestrian Center in Fort Worth, is the next sale on Western Bloodstock Ltd.’s agenda, followed by the Center Ranch Production Sale, in Centerville, Tex. on October 10, and the NCHA Futurity Sales in Fort Worth, in December.

NRCHA Stallion Stakes – Wrap up. In the Open Finals, Call Me Mitch shown by Phillip Ralls owned by Estelle Roitblat took 3rd. In the Intermediate Open Finals, Cashs Catmando shown by Trent Pedersen owned by Hope Miller finished up 12th. Moving on to the Non Pro, Annies Smarty Cat shown by Marjie Robinson owned by Ted Robinson Took 6th in the Non Pro Finals, 5th in the Intermediate Non Pro Finals and took 4th in the Novice Non Pro Finals. What an exciting finals, so glad we had the opportunity to be in Vegas and cheer from the stands for our team members . . . Hope to see you all at the next one, keep up the great work

Twenty-two Open contestants will advance to the clean-slate Stakes finals on Friday and Saturday. It took a 647.5 score and above to make the Open finals, and the high score of the preliminaries, a 659 (222 herd/218 rein/219 cow) belonged to Call Me Mitch (Metallic Cat x Miss Hickory Hill x Docs Hickory), shown by Paso Robles, California, professional Phillip Ralls.

Ralls and the 2011 stallion, owned by Estelle Roitblat, won the herd work go-round on their way to the finals.

March 31st, 2015

Open Prelims
The National Reined Cow Horse Association Stakes Open herd work prelims wrapped up at the South Point Equestrian Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Tuesday. Call Me Mitch (Metallic Cat x Miss Hickory Hill x Doc’s Hickory), shown by Phillip Ralls for owner Estelle Roitblat, won the go-round with the 222 they scored on Monday. Ralls and the 2011 roan stallion also top the composite on two events with a 440.

There were lots open of winners at the 2015 Arbuckle Mountain Futurity in Ardmore, Okla, on February 25. But the richest in terms of championships was Beau Galyean, who showed full sisters Magistic Moon and Sweet Metallic, by Metallic Cat.

Magistic Moon scored 221 points in the 4-Year-Old Futurity to tie for the win with NCHA Futurity reserve champion Smooth Talkin Style, sired by Smooth As A Cat and shown by Lloyd Cox for Gail Holmes and Hill Ranches.

Magistic Moon, is owned by Jimmie Miller Smith, Geary, Okla. The wins were worth $18,750 for each horse. Splitting third and fourth were DMAC Spicy Spoon, shown for Kathleen Moore by James Payne, and Sweet Lil Amanda, with Matt Miller for Chris Brengard; each earned $11,639.

Sweet Metallic, owned by Galyean, was one of three horses who tied with 220 points for the 5/6 Classic championship. Co-champion Snap Crackle Cat, by High Brow Cat, was shown by Tatum Rice for John McLaren, McGregor, Tex., and JJs Catless Merada, by Cats Merada, was under Steve Oehlof for Ken Sitton, Freeport, Tex. The trio won a total of $42,148 ($14,049 each).

Sannman, by Metallic Cat, and No Way In Hal, by Halreycious, were co-reserve champions with 218 points under Beau Galyean and Lloyd Cox, respectively. Sannman is owned by Alvin and Becky Fults, Amarillo, Tex.; No Way In Hal is owned by Kathleen Moore, Madill, Okla.

Magistic Moon and Sweet Metallic, bred by Alvin Fults, are both out of Sweet Abra, winner of $117,725, and dam of five NCHA money earners, including Sweet Metallic LTE $93,157; Magistic Moon LTE $50,824; and Magic Metallic LTE $39,486; all sired by Metallic Cat.

The 2015 season began for 4-year-old cutting horses on January 3, in Abilene, Tex., with the Abilene Spectacular. The event offers, as do all NCHA-sanctioned limited age events, purses for a gamut of official classes, but it is 4-year-old open competition that offers the biggest payoffs in prize money, as well as equally significant returns in breeding barns and training arenas.

The Abilene Spectacular is the first of a series of limited age cutting events, leading up to the NCHA Super Stakes, which will have a significant impact on the 2015 breeding season, initially predicated by the results of the 2014 NCHA Futurity. In that light, the 4-year-old open results of the Abilene Spectacular, the Augusta Futurity, and the Ike Hamilton Derby are worth a look.

High Brow Cat was the leading sire of the 2014 NCHA Futurity finalists with seven, including the champion and winner of $200,000, Classy CD Cat, shown by Phil Hanson for Dottie Hill. Metallic Cat tied Dual Rey with the second-highest number of NCHA Futurity finalists (3 each), but as of Feb 7, 2015, ranks first among sires of 2015 open 4-year-old major event contenders (NCHA Futurity, Abilene Spectacular, Augusta Futurity and Ike Hamilton Derby) with 18 finalists. High Brow Cat is next on the list of top sires with 15, followed by Dual Rey and One Time Pepto with 10 each, then Smooth As A Cat with eight, and High Brow CD with seven.

Among trainers, Lloyd Cox, reserve champion of the 2014 NCHA Futurity on Smooth Talkin Style, by Smooth As A Cat and owned by Holmes and Hill, leads the pack with nine finalists in the four events, followed by Austin Shepard with seven, and Michael Cooper and Grant Setnicka with four each.

The Bonanza Cutting begins its 10-day run in Glen Rose, Tex. on Wednesday, February 11, followed by the Arbuckle Mountain Futurity in Ardmore, Okla., beginning on February 22; the Cattlemen’s Derby, Graham, Tex. from March 2 through 8; the PCCHA Winter Round Up in Paso Robles, Calif., March 12 through 15; and the NCHA Super Stakes, which begins a 24-day run on March 26 in Fort Worth, Tex.

Metallic Cat jumped to the top of the 2014 NCHA Futurity sire list when his 3-year-old offspring posted total earnings of $660,690. He led other sires High Brow Cat, Dual Rey and Smooth As A Cat, which came in second, third and fourth, respectively.

The handsome 10-year-old red roan stallion, champion of the 2008 NCHA Open Futurity, had 45 money earners out of 80 offspring entered in the annual Fort Worth event, giving him an average of $14,682. Metallic Cat also led the list of most offspring entered in the 2014 NCHA Futurity. Although this was the first time he has led all Futurity sires, from the way he has rocketed to the top with just two Futurity foal crops, it won’t be his last.

Owned by Alvin and Becky Fults of Amarillo, Texas, and trained and shown by Beau Galyean , Metallic Cat is the second highest money earning stallion – with $637,771 – in the history of the NCHA. Entered in 12 events during his show career, he made the finals all 12 times and never lost a cow. He was retired to stud at the end of his 4-year-old year.

In 2014, Metallic Cat offspring earnings took a dramatic leap forward. In June, he became a million dollar sire. Astonishingly, six months later in December, he passed the two million dollar sire mark. Both were NCHA records for the shortest time to reach one million and then two million in offspring earnings. Throw in his Futurity totals, and he sits at just over $2.6 million in offspring earnings.
Metallic Cat set another record at the NCHA Futurity. One of his 2-year-olds, Eight Mile, an eye-catching chestnut colt, sold for $400,000, while another, Moses Man, a sorrel colt, was third highest seller for 2-year-olds at $210,000.

Metallic Cat is sired by High Brow Cat and out of Chers Shadow by Peptoboonsmal. He was 2009 NCHA Horse of the Year and is in the NHCA Hall of Fame.

Look what we got our hands on, the video of Eight Mile selling at the 2014 NCHA Western Bloodstock Sales. Eight Mile (Metallic Cat x Cappuccino And Pasta) sold for an Record Breaking, Sale Topping amount of $400,000.00 during the 2 year sale. Metallic Cat had 75 horses that sold during the Futurity sale, selling for $3,424,500, averaging $45,660. per head. Metallic Cat’s Averages per head during the 2 Year Old Sale $90,000, Gala Sale $52,667, Preferred Breeders Sale $64,083. Metallic Cat has offspring earnings to date of $2,594,704.

A new record price at the 2014 NCHA Futurity Western Bloodstock 2 Year Old Sale! Eight Mile, a sorrel colt by Metallic Cat out of Cappuccino And Pasta, just sold for $400,000! The horse was purchased by Nancy Burke from Minnesota.

Metallic Mandy and Chris Hanson scored 220 points on Wednesday to win the NCHA Futurity John Deere Open Limited, while Metallic Moon and Gabe Reynolds claimed reserve with 217.5 points.

“I knew we had a good horse,” said Hanson, who showed Metallic Mandy, by Metallic Cat, for John and Hope Mitchell, Weatherford, Tex. “She’d been good through the go-rounds and was good in the Non-Pro.

“She’s very consistent, has a big stop, and is really smart about a cow. She’s there for you every day and nothing ever changes with her.”

Going into Thursday’s second day of Non-Pro second go-round competition, Hope Mitchell, reserve champion of the 2008 NCHA Non-Pro Futurity aboard Lannies Freckles, is the leader with 433.5 points on Ms April Cat, by Cat N A Hat, and also a second go-round contender on Metallic Mandy.

Hanson also came close to another 220-point run in the John Deere Finals on Little Too Sly, but lost his relentless second cow, with no time for a third cut. Even so, he was awarded 205 points.
“I knew on (Little Too Sly) that I could have a good run,” said Hanson. “We had a good first cow and spent a lot of time getting our second cow set up and cut right. That cow was good for a bit, but then it just wouldn’t turn away.

“She’s a real good cowhorse. She tries hard every time and will fight them off.”

Gabe Reynolds, who drew first to work in the second set of the John Deere Finals, used Chris Hanson’s ride on Metallic Mandy in the first set, as his template.

“I watched the first group of cows and those guys tried to cut what they thought were the best,” said Reynolds, who showed Metallic Moon, by Metallic Cat, for Sandy and Jeremy Patton, Washington, Ohio. “They were mostly gray cows and they didn’t prosper from them. So I decided we were going to keep it simple and cut some black cows, because that’s what Chris cut. And it worked out really well.”

Metallic Moon, trained by Cody Frye, was purchased by the Pattons a year ago, after Reynolds and Sandy Patton watched Frye work the mare on several cows.

“She was just so broke,” said Reynolds. “Everything (Frye) did, she was just so soft and smooth. It was a no-brainer. I thought, this is going to fit what we want. We are really lucky to have her.”

As a large crowd gathered in Oklahoma City, 17 horse-and-rider teams entered the Jim Norick Arena in hopes of taking home a share of the $53,891 purse in the Junior Cutting at the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) World Championship Show. When it was all said and done, Cody Hedlund and Meteles Cat’s score of 221 won the Junior Cutting World Championship.

Drawing up 15th in the working order left the Wilton, California, rider with plenty of time to watch the competition.

“I know what’s been marked and I knew there was room up there at the top and then in between all those people that I could try to sneak in if I could and it just worked out that we won it,” said Hedlund, an earner of $438,122. “We cut everything we had talked about, for the most part, and then the last cow was just really good and it just capped off the end of run.”

Meteles Cat (Metallic Cat x Teles Lies x Lenas Telesis) has had quite the success under the saddle of Cody and his father, Rock, who bred the horse. Meteles Cat has lifetime earnings of $111,279, and is currently in a battle for the 2014 NCHA Non-Pro Horse of the Year title.

We are thrilled to share with you that Metallic Masterpiece shown by Kyle Trahern, owned by Silver Spur Operating Co LLC was Reserve Champion today at the Mid America Classic in Colorado. Nice job Kyle!

What a way to start our Sunday morning – Congratulations Purple Reyn owned and shown by Brandon Dufurrena, on your Championship run in the finals of the Derby Non Pro at the Southern Futurity. This pair are true . . . . Rock Stars!

We would like to Congratulate the National Reined Cow Horse Association, Snaffle Bit Futurity Amateur Reserve Champion Magicat (Metallic Cat x Magical Lena) shown by Wilder Jones owned by J Pearson Trust. Great job Wilder we will see you back on Friday for the Non Pro Finals.

As the final horse-and-rider duo to go down the fence in eight sets of Futurity Open competition, Phillip Ralls and Call Me Mitch dominated the Protect the Harvest/Lucas Oil National Stock Horse Association (NSHA) Futurity Open. The event, held Aug. 19-24 in Paso Robles, Calif., marked the home stretch for 3-year-old horses on their way to Reno, Nev., for the National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) Snaffle Bit Futurity. Ralls and his mount went into the cow work comfortably with a 433 (217 herd/216 rein). After marking the fourth-highest score down the fence, a 220.5, Call Me Mitch and Ralls’ 653.5 total on three secured the Futurity Open Championship by a two-point margin.

Ralls and Estelle Roitblatt’s stallion son of Metallic Cat earned $18,526 for his win. Futurity Open Reserve Champions and Intermediate Open Champions Justin Wright and CR Stylish Danny Rey accumulated a 651.5 (221 herd/211.5 rein/219 cow) to take home checks totaling $16,273 for owner Eric Freitas.

NCHA- The NCHA would like to congratulate the Fults Ranch on the success of their young sire Metallic Cat who, with just one foal crop in the showpen, has surpassed the $1 million sire status. We are proud to have this sire representing NCHA as a corporate partner!

Congratulations – Metallicat ( Metallic Cat x Mates Matrix) and Brad Lund on your 3rd place finish in the Futurity Open at the ECRCHC Futurity. We are so excited watching Metallic Cat’s 2nd foal crop hit the show pen.

The Open Derby Finals are complete at the West Texas Futurity and we couldn’t be prouder! Sannman was Co-Reserve Champion, Sweet Metallic was 4th, Magic Metallic finished 6th and Red Metallica ended up 10th. Over all a very good day! Have a great night!

Sweet Metallic (Metallic Cat x Sweet Abra), a mare owned by Beau and Ashley Galyean, of Fort Worth, Texas, and ridden by Beau, placed fourth with a 218.5. As the top-placing Derby Open entry sired by 2005 stallion Metallic Cat, Sweet Metallic earned a $25,000 Metallic Cat Incentive bonus. Including a total of $40,000 in Metallic Cat bonuses, 4-year-olds sired by “Denver” earned more than $75,000 in the PCCHA Derby Open. That allowed Metallic Cat to surpass $1 million in offspring earnings.

Among the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) and cutting horse industry, Metallic Cat is a widely recognized name. The 2005 red roan Quarter Horse stallion, out of High Brow Cat and Chers Shadow by Peptoboonsmal, debuted in the futurity with trainer Beau Galyean and retired 12 shows later after never losing a cow throughout his entire show career. He was the 2008 NCHA Open Futurity Champion and NCHA Horse of the Year in 2009 as well as the top money earning horse all ages all divisions and Derby Open Champion at the 2009 Breeder’s Invitational (BI).

Metallic Cat, also known as “Denver,” has lifetime earnings of $637,711, earned from all 12 of the shows he competed in. He is the 2nd highest money earning stallion in the history of the NCHA (following Smart Little Lena) and the highest money earning stallion within the last 33 years.

As a retired NCHA champion, Metallic Cat (owned by the Fults family) now spends his days at Fults Ranch in Amarillo, Texas breeding new champions to continue to live out his legacy within the cutting industry. There are currently 34 offspring of Metallic Cat actively competing, including Metallika out of Metallic Cat and Nyoka Pep by Dual Pep.

Metallika (owned by Scotty Rice) was the Derby Open Champion at the 2014 BI recently held on May 10 – 14 in Tulsa, Oklahoma with a score of 225 shown by trainer and Scotty’s brother, Tag Rice. Metallic Cat is the first stallion to ever win the BI himself and then sire an offspring (Metallika) to also win the BI. This has been a huge accomplishment within the cutting sport and for Metallic Cat as a sire.
In addition, other offspring of Metallic Cat who experienced success at this year’s BI were Metallic Jones (out of Metallic Cat and Smart Starlight by Smart Little Lena) owned by Kelsey Lee Weeks and shown by Kathy Daughn and Kelsey Weeks, who was a Non Pro Derby Finalist finishing in 4th. Meteles Cat (out of Metallic Cat and Teles Lies by Lenas Telesis) owned and shown by Cody Hedlund was a Non Pro Derby Reserve Champion and an Open Derby Finalist. Metallic Warrior (out of Metallic Cat and One Time Soon by Smart Little Lena) owned by Jessica Banuelos and shown by Adan and Jessica Banuelos, was an Open Derby Finalist. Sannman (out of Metallic Cat and The Smart Look by Smart Little Lena) owned by Galyean and Fults and shown by Beau Galyean, was an Open Derby Finalist finishing in 3rd. Sweetallic (out of Metallic Cat and Sweet Little Boon by Smart Little Lena) owned by Julie Sheedy and shown by Eddie Flynn was a Non Pro Derby Ltd Reserve Champion, Non Pro Derby Finalist, Amateur Derby Champion, and an Unlimited Derby Finalist finishing in 4th. Dr Metallica (out of Metallic Cat and Nurse Gray by Grays Starlight) owned by Dottie St. Clair Hill and shown by Gary Gonsalves was a Derby Unlimited Amateur Finalist finishing in 4th and a Derby Amateur Finalist. Sweet Metallic (out of Metallic Cat and Sweet Abra by Abrakadabracre) owned by Beau and Ashley Galyean and shown by Ashley Galyean, was an Open Derby 10k Finalist, Non Pro Derby Ltd Finalist finishing in 5th, and a Non Pro 10k Finalist finishing in 4th.

Metallic Cat also broke a new personal record at the 2014 BI with his offspring surpassing the earning amount of his own Sire’s earnings. The 27-year-old sire, High Brow Cat, was the top sire earner at the BI until son, Metallic Cat, exceeded his father’s earnings and became the new top earner. Metallic Cat’s 12 offspring that competed at the 2014 BI, all 4-year-olds, earned a total of $260,402, while High Brow Cat’s 27 offspring ranging from 4 to 6-year-olds earned a total of $227,576.

Metallic Cat has proven to be a top cutting horse sire, creating quality competitive cutting horses time after time. The two main traits Metallic Cat passes on to his offspring, according to owner Alvin Fults, is his near perfect conformation and cow smarts. These two traits combine to make well rounded, easily trainable, and successful offspring within the cutting industry. Even with all of the success Metallic Cat has had as a sire already, he has no plans of slowing down anytime soon.

“His future is very bright. This year [Metallic Cat] had 34 colts showing out of 45 which is over half of the foals that just hit the ground running in this sport. Next year we have over 200 that are registered, and the year after that we have over 200 as well,” said Alvin Fults on Metallic Cat’s future as a cutting horse sire. “His offspring so far have earned approximately $1,018,303 so we’re very excited to say the least.”

Metallika, a gelding with $8,001 in prior cutting earnings before heading to the Breeder’s Invitational (BI) in Tulsa, Okla., returned to Texas with more than $92,000 earned and as the BI Derby Open Champion for his owner Scotty Rice, after marking a 225 in Saturday’s finals with his trainer and Scotty’s brother, Tag.

While securing the Derby Open title and about $68,000, including a 10 percent fee actually split between his sire and his dam’s owners, Metallika also earned $10,000 as the BI’s Derby Open Sales Incentive Champion. Two days before topping the Derby Open finals, the horse and Tag Rice earned another $6,764 by tying for fifth place during the May 22 BI Derby Open $10,000 Novice finals.

Scotty is 37, lives in Weatherford, Texas, and owns a Fort Worth, Texas, Internet access provider. He had planned to ride Metallika in the Non-Pro at the BI, too. Scotty switched horses, though, after Tag, who is 39, and Metallika posted 219 and 220 scores in the first two Open rounds. Scotty and Super Smart Rey earned about $9,000 by tying for ninth in Saturday’s Derby Non-Pro finals.

Tag said his brother made a great team decision by deciding not to ride Metallika in the Non-Pro division. “Any time you can avoid running the wheels off of them, it’s better,” said Tag, who has trained several horses for his younger brother. The brothers’ father, Ronnie, has trained several horses for Scotty, too.

This is the first time that Tag has won a big limited-age title riding one of his brother’s horses. Scotty had earned a prior title riding a horse trained by Tag. Scotty left cutting for a while to concentrate on building a business he started with horse earnings. “He got out of it [riding cutting horses] for a few years and he just got back in it last year,” Tag said. “It’s been great having him around. We are best friends.”

The Metallic Cat Incentive will be available to all 4 year olds sired by Metallic Cat who compete in the Pacific
Coast Cutting Horse Association Core Balance Derby, held annually in June. Beginning in 2014, all Metallic Cat Foals entered in the PCCHA Open Derby may pay an additional $1,000 and thereupon become eligible for the
Metallic Cat Incentive Purse.

** No monies will be paid in go-rounds. In the event only one horse advances to the finals only $25,000 will be paid. In the event only two horses advance only $35,000 will be paid. In the event no horses advance to the finals, no monies will be paid.

The Metallic Cat Incentive in being offered by the Fults Ranch, owners of Metallic Cat, and may be canceled withoutbnotice, prior to the final entry due date of the PCCHA Open Derby. All Incentive are guaranteed by the Fults Ranch and Metallic Cat. In the event of cancellation, any monies paid by contestants toward the Incentive Purse being canceled, shall be returned. The PCCHA will act as a handling agent of receiving and distributing Incentive Funds.

Here is your OSB Open Futurity Champion Monopolie owned by Dan Churchill – shown by Ashley Baxstrom. They not only won the Futurity with a score of 147 this pair also won the go round. Congratulations!

The West Texas Futurity has concluded and with only a small handful of Metallic Cat Offspring showing we could be not more thrilled with how great theses babies looked! Metallic Avenue / Beau Galyean Open Futurity Finalists. Metallic Avenue / Ashley Galyean was 4th in the Non Pro and Res Champion in the Limited and the gelding classes. Sweet Metallic was a Non Pro Futurity Finalist and took 3rd in the limited. The Metallic Gun / Alvin Fults was a Non Pro Futurity Finalist and took 4th in the gelding class. Over all what a great show – We are so blessed and can’t wait to see where next venture with Metallic Cat takes us.

Becky and I would like to personally thank everyone that came to the Prime Rib Dinner we had at our place during the West Texas Futurity. This is our way of saying thank you to all the mare owners out there, we are over whelmed in your continuing support of our young stallion.

Congratulations to Dominik Conicelli on his purchase of Metallic Spark, a 2011 Red Roan stallion by Metallic Cat out of Shiney Lil Miss (by Shining Spark). The purchase price was at $62,000. We wish you the best of luck!

“In fact, it was the popular Metallic Cat who proved he has the mettle as an up-and-coming star sire. He topped the 2011 cutting sales, as ranked by the median price of his foals. He actually rounded out the year with the seventh-highest net sales in cutting auctions, with 25 offspring selling for $734,000. Metallic Cat, who is owned by Alvin and Becky Fults, Amarillo, Texas, won the 2008 NCHA Futurity with Beau Galyean and then went on to a remarkable career that concluded with $637,710 in earnings at the close of the 2009 season. The stallion’s first foal crop, one with just 54 AQHA-registered individuals, arrived in 2010 and will be hitting the show pen next year. “

Metallic Cat set the 2011 NCHA Futurity Sales on fire, finishing as the No. 2 sire on the overall and yearling charts. The 2005 stallion, who is owned by Alvin and Becky Fults, Amarillo, Texas, kicked off his career by winning the 2008 NCHA Futurity with Beau Galyean and then performing to $637,711. Now, his babies are on the ground and on the way. According to AQHA, Metallic Cat’s registered foal count is 52 for 2010 and 92 for 2011. At the NCHA Futurity Sales last December, Metallic Cat had 22 of 29 consigned foals net $638,000 for a $29,000 average and $22,500 median. This young sire – one whose foals won’t hit the show pen until 2013 – bested older mainstays such as Dual Rey, Smart Little Lena and Peptoboonsmal.

Quarter Horse News asked owner Alvin Fults about his stallion’s success at the sales. He responded, “I’m honored. I am glad to see the consistency of his foals – the way all those colts are looking the same. That’s what we were hoping for, that he was going to be able to consistently be able to make a nice colt.”

As for what it’s like waiting for that 2013 debut, Fults said, “The wait is hard. We pulled our yearlings up a little bit early and went ahead
and broke them; we just couldn’t take it anymore. They’re doing awesome.”

Jordan Furnish made those first rides on Fults’ Metallic Cat foals. Was Fults there for the occasion?

“You bet I was!” he answered. “I was there when he got on every one of them. They just went right on – never missed a lick or acted up. Jordan’s comment to me was, ‘I’m showing them something one day and they’re doing it the next day.'”

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